Poem by Lee Allane

Mightier than the Sword

Soldier travels from the south
plucks the crumbs from the orphan's mouth
burns the fields and drains the ford
bend a knee before your lord
         Hunger mightier than the sword

No mercy from the burning sun
no bullets needed for his gun
jackals prowl and vultures soar
hunger stalks the killing floor
         A perfect weapon of the war

Brother Famine loves Sister Drought
blind and deaf the land they scout
children's eyes no longer bright
withered limbs too weak for flight
         Hunger kills the will to fight

Daughter of the blighted earth
bears no guilt for famine's birth
doctors flee the healing ward
starvation leads the murder horde
         Hunger mightier than the sword

Listen to what your mother said
submit to rape or join the dead
no saviour from a distant shore
survive to be the victor's whore
         A perfect weapon of the war

Rich men toast the price of wheat
richer still if the poor don't eat
the world outside has closed its eyes
hunger is the bread that cries
         Her body soon the victor's prize

Let her weep and let her pray
if you don't look she'll go away
man has cut earth's fetal cord
watch her starve until you're bored
         ​Hunger mightier than the sword

Click to hear the poet read the poem.

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BIO: After leaving university with a degree in philosophy and art history I tried my hands at many things - including working with refugees and homeless charities, designing education programmes, journalism and writing books on oriental and islamic arts and crafts.