In this blog post, we celebrate a young conservation-minded poet, Xeonobia Diaz. Her poem, “I am your Sister…your Caretaker” won first place in the DNR’s 2024 Air, Air, Everywhere Poetry Contest. Congratulations Xeonobia!

Written by Nancy Larson.

Meet the poet and her teacher:

Xeonobia Diaz, poet and student

Xeonobia Diaz is a talented student at Samuel Clemens School in Milwaukee. Her fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Aruna Halala-Vishudh, guides students in activities to engage them in their community and the broader world, including using the arts to express themselves about pressing world issues such as climate change. Her class participated in the DNR’s Air, Air Everywhere activities this spring.

Xeonobia was recognized with first place in the DNR’s annual poetry contest in celebration of Clean Air Month.

Xeonobia gave us this introduction about herself:

“My name is Xeonobia Diaz. When I am not in school, I like to draw, sculpt, and write. My inspiration for my poem about clean air came to me when I was thinking about the Earth. I thought about how the Earth and clean air must exist together. They have a sisterly bond which holds them together. I am happy to be able to share my poem. I hope that when people read it, they will ask themselves what they are doing to make a difference in our world and for our Earth.”

“Xeonobia is also a phenomenal visual artist. She has a great gift, a great talent,” says Mrs. Halala-Vishudh. She was recognized this year with first place in the grades 3-5 art contest of the 6th annual Cesar E. Chavez art, speech, and writing contest. She also won the Milwaukee Public Schools Verses Unveiled Poetry Slam with her poem exploring identity.

Mrs. Halala-Vishudh, teacher at Samuel Clemens School in Milwaukee

Mrs. Halala-Vishudh describes all of her students as very talented and presents them with projects to explore issues through many platforms. This year they tied together poetry and climate change by adapting Earthrise by Amanda Gorman and exploring our human responsibility. She says it is very gratifying to see them think through issues and connect to their community and the world. One of her 5th grade students even called in to the Wisconsin Public Radio Central Time hosted by Ron Ferrett show about clean air.

Thank you Xeonobia for sharing your wonderful vision with us and thank you Aruna Halala-Vishudh for your inspiration to your students and to us.

We at WGF love and are inspired by Xeonobia’s poem.

We are honored to share the poem with the Wisconsin’s Green Fire community, with permission from the poet and her mother. Does the poem inspire you to “answer the call” to protect clean air?

I am your Sister…your Caretaker

I was born to be fresh and clean.
I was born to move like a wave.
My sound is like a beating heart.
I am meant to smell beautiful like a forest.
You don’t see me, but you will know when I’m missing.

I am sad to say to my human family,
“Your actions have taken me for granted.
You have put too much smoke, smog, and pollution in my air,
which has made me sick, and that is not fair!”

So thank you to states like Wisconsin who are setting standards to clean my air.
Thank-you to the lawmakers who are passing more green laws
so that everyone will care.
Plant more trees because they are the lungs of our Earth!
They create oxygen and clean the air so well,
we will never forget their worth!

Know that I am strong and desire to be free.
You will not get rid of me!
So let’s come together and save our air.
Be a good neighbor, no matter where!
Clean air is a human right for all
so everyone step up and answer the call!

by Xeonobia Diaz, reprinted with permission

Blue sky and clouds, June 2024, by Carolyn Pralle

Share your poem or other creative works with Wisconsin’s Green Fire via our Art and Writing Submissions.