Poems by Mike Dailey

Hunger

My stomach was rumbling
I’m hungry I thought
I looked in my pantry
To see what I got
I found cookies and candies
Some milk and some bread
More than enough food
To keep me well fed
But that’s not the norm
For a lot of mankind
They look and they look
But no food do they find
Some have no pantry
Some have no store
Some have no money
Some neither nor
Some haven’t eaten
For days upon end
Some find a crumb
But it’s just now and then
Some mothers awaken
Find their child is dead
Just wasted away
For he hasn’t been fed
Malnutrition runs rampant
In kids of all ages
Starving is common
And the death toll still rages

​We don’t know hunger
Like a poor starving kid
We must fight for the cause
And it’s time that we did

---

Malnutrition

The child’s condition
Malnutrition
Dire prediction
Death

Ever younger
Childhood hunger
Adding to another
Death

You could help some
Change the outcome
Maybe stop one
Death

If you’re involved
Perhaps we’ll solve
One child’s revolve with
Death

​Never doubt it
Think about it
Just don’t hold
Your breath

---

My Heart Aches

My heart aches for the down and out
The hungry kids that go without
My heart aches without a doubt
My heart aches

You see the kids out on the street
They haven’t got enough to eat
They’re so hungry they can’t sleep
And cry each night
When you see these hungry stray
You close your eyes or look away
Thinking someone else someday
Will make this right

My heart cries for the down and out
The hungry kids that go without
My heart cries without a doubt
My heart cries

Every day a mother cries
Every day a young kid dies
Every day we know the whys
Every day
Open up your heart and mind
Don’t play deaf and don’t play blind
It’s your duty to mankind
Every day

My heart bleeds for these down and out
These hungry kids that go without
My heart bleeds without a doubt
My heart bleeds

My heart aches and my heart cries
My heart bleeds so my heart tries
To open up my ears and eyes
To those in need
But we all must do our part
Look down deep within our hearts
That’s where healing has to start
For those in need

---

BIO: Mike Dailey is a poet in southeast North Carolina living near Sunset Beach with his wife of 50+ years. His poems have been published in numerous magazines and anthologies. His poetry can be serious, topical, or very moving but he is known more for his rhythm and rhyme poetry with a twist of humor. He has had three books of poetry collections published and a dozen more in draft form.