Poem by Maritza Rivera

Day-old Bread
 
Some say poetry is like bread
that it feeds the soul

but oftentimes
that’s not enough!

It’s been proved that children
cannot learn on empty stomachs.
Look at all the underperforming
schools in our country.
 
Breakfast should be the first lesson
of each day. Followed by lunch
and an afternoon snack before dismissal.

Feeding tubes for the dying
force people to live
sometimes against their will
but usually not for long.

And although there are no
feeding tubes for the living,
one meal can make the difference
between life and death for so many.

Yet while people die
of starvation each day
thousands of pounds of food
are discarded on a daily basis
in this affluent country of ours.

Shame on me! Shame on you!
Shame on all of us who turn up
our noses at leftovers and day-old
bread that like poetry
can feed thousands.

Maritza Rivera (Montgomery County, MD) is a Puerto Rican poet and Army veteran who has been writing poetry for over 40 years. She is the creator of Blackjack poetry and hosts the Mariposa Poetry retreat. Maritza aka Mariposa is the author of About You, A Mother’s War, 21: Blackjack Poems, and the Blackjack Poetry Playing Cards.  

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