Poem by Ladi Di

Pitch In

People are hungry, yet people continue to
waste food.
Her meals were from partially eaten
sandwiches thrown in public trash
cans.
She watched a child throw away a sandwich
one bite out of it.
Getting sandwich from can immediately
would be her evening meal.

People are hungry, yet people continue to
waste food.
An apple, a pear, a peach, some cherries
Some grapes to help provide nutrition
To help curb appetite
Praying to God above, never to give up
Ferocious fight.

People are hungry, yet people continue to
waste food.
A project for many years, helping my Mother
Make sandwiches in our kitchen
with Family and Friends
Taking sandwiches to organizations, like
S.O.M.E, So Others Might Eat brings on
cheers, chants yea food is here.

People are hungry, yet people continue to
waste food.
Standing on Main Avenue in freezing cold
And snow, holding sign stating HELP ME
FEED MY CHILDREN, IF ONLY FOR ONE
NIGHT!!!

People are hungry, yet people continue to
waste food.
All across the world people die from hunger
 and malnutrition to ignore this plight would
 be a ridiculous selfish shame.

People are hungry, yet people continue to
waste food.
What can you do, what can I do, what can others do, to end this international plague?
The answer is blowing in the wind, doing
Something consistent, we can all PITCH IN.

People are hungry, yet people continue to
waste food.
 
By Sylvia Dianne Beverly (“Ladi Di”)

Sylvia Dianne Beverly (Ladi Di) entered this poem about food waste in the 2018 World Food Day Poetry Prize competition.  A collection of her work is housed at George Washington University's Gelman Library.  Ladi Di celebrated the 40th Anniversary of Host Grace Cavalieri, reading on her show "The Poet and the Poem" at the Library of Congress Experience.

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