Poem by Hiram Larew

Bread in Hand
 
But even after all of this
          farmers keep farming
          for every one of us
They bend the sun
          and raise the earth
          each day for us
They round each rough
and tamp down these fears
          for each of us
Yes after all of this
They’re the bells of life for us
 
And even after all of this
the grocers pickers baggers stackers sorters drivers checkers
and sweepers too
are here for us
          Like bowls of life
they give us each our every day
                   and so renew that sense of trust for us
 
And even after all of this
          and just as much
are those who volunteer to serve the soup
The ones who help and give and care on our behalf
Their hands and hearts
          shape our thanks --
No matter what else happens
          they are life
 
And yes even after all of this
These days seem like fields to us
with shadows deep across the view
but with hope there too
a full green that grins as ever
just like those who stand and wave
bread in hand
through all of this

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Hiram Larew founded the informal Poetry X Hunger initiative in 2017 as a way to bring two areas of interest – poetry and hunger prevention – together.  Upon retiring from the U.S. Department of Agriculture where he helped guide international agriculture programs, he noticed that relatively little poetry about hunger was available. Believing in the power of poetry to touch hearts and minds, he launched Poetry X Hunger as a way to encourage poets to write about hunger.

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