Poem by Joseph Caperna

The following poem was inspired by Dr. Jayne Shatz's artwork, The Empty Bowl, which appears on the
Poetry X Hunger website--ART - Poetry X Hunger.

Open our bronze hands

Sculpted to endure
and serve image
to stir an instinct
and open our own
human hands.

Holding an empty bowl,
just picked clean
of that last grain.
This bowl, like a mother’s
hands holding the work
of the world, to fill and feed

Painful pangs ring
from barren brass sides,
sustained resonant calls to
Fill the bowel, fill the bowel.

Imagine our bronze bowl filled,
with gentle mother’s fingers,
passing portions to babies’ lips
Again and again–fingertips to lips
​
Imagine our bronze bowl held
like infant’s hands ‘round her breast
grabbing to find
latch,
given milk
from breasts like full bowls.

Imagine the bronze bowl filled
Hands together
To serve our hungry
Touch those needing
And execute justice

These are, bronze hands, end
-less, the Divine’s hands,
our hand, imagine.

Joseph Caperna is a physician in San Diego, CA, who spent his career dedicated to HIV. To bring compassion, caring, and listening into his medical practice, he shares poetry with his patients and their families. Joseph has traveled over 60 years to 6 continents. These experiences have inspired prose and poetry that he is starting to submit to publish.

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