Poem by Minati Pradhan

War and Hunger

You fight a war
​To be a so-called winner.
But, can you free yourself
From the clutches of demon hunger?
Against the backdrop of
Destruction and rubble.
The ever-crying hungry eyes
Become silent and feeble.
War spares no one
Affecting everyone
Dwellers of the slum
Or the owner of a mansion.
When natural disasters pay a visit
Can you measure its limit?
Why create hunger on our own, then
In the name of just war, when we're to blame
Flexing muscles to show
Superiority that's so obscene!
Stop this thoughtless act and
Fight hunger together for our own good.
Make the earth green and hunger-free
And ensure every stomach gets food.
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Minati Pradhan writes poems, short stories and essays in English and Odia languages. Her interest areas include nature, gender equality, women’s empowerment, education, social justice and spirituality. Her poetic insights are thought-provoking and compel the readers to take a new perspective. Two of her books- collections of poems, have been published. She has co-authoured two books of essays and one of stories and six of poems and co-edited one book of essays. Her poems, short stories and essays have been published in many magazines and newspapers. She has presented her essays, research papers and poems in various seminars and workshops. She is also a certified counsellor who specializes in guiding the parents of differently-abled children.

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