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Turning Poetry into Food:
A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems will be published in late 2026. Hiram Larew and Christina Daub, Co-Editors See our publisher’s site for details. This milestone collection of 50 Poetry X Hunger poems is designed to be used by everyone—creatives, leaders, families, congregants, public officials, teachers (yes, especially teachers), and anyone else who has a stake in preventing hunger. |
Artwork by Diane Wibon Parks
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What People Are Saying
i write songs. sometimes they are poetry with melody. often they become melody because of the poetry; sometimes a reminder of pain and the sweet resolution of the soul to make better, to do better, to give better. in these pages are the writings of hope - fighting hunger one poem at a time - because sometimes words can generate financial support. won't you let this be one of those times. for Poetry X Hunger -- noel paul stookey (peter, paul and mary)
***
Food is life, yet millions still go hungry in a world that produces enough. As someone who has worked in agriculture in both Pakistan and the United States, I have seen that the real challenge is not only producing food, but ensuring it reaches every table. Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems reminds us that hunger persists not because food is scarce, but because attention, compassion, and action are. These poems challenge us to see food not as a commodity, but as a shared human right; and to act before another plate goes empty. -- Fawad Khan, PhD, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan
***
We are all human, and we all need to eat. Yet in our world of plenty, far too many people still go without. Food is more than fuel—it is dignity, community, culture, love, and joy. Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems is a
beautiful and moving reminder of our shared humanity, and our common responsibility to imagine and work towards a future where no one on this planet goes hungry. -- U.S. Congressman Jim McGovern, Second District of Massachusetts
***
Poetry can make us feel the immediacy of other lives, see present circumstances with unexpected clarity, and imagine making changes never thought about. These poems declare why hunger is unacceptable, why we cannot simply look away, and why we must not let it prey on the poor and vulnerable among us. -- Edward Ray, Oregon State University President Emeritus
***
We all hunger. Some hunger announces itself with hollow bellies, empty of sustenance. Other forms are quieter: the slow starvation of the spirit. And often, these hungers intertwine, overlapping in ways both visible and unseen. Poetry has the rare ability to nourish on more than one level. It feeds the spirit directly through inspiration, reflection, and the invitation to create. And it feeds the body indirectly, stirring awareness and compassion that can move us toward action. Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems seeks to nourish both soul and community by raising awareness of food insecurity while supporting efforts to ease it through education and fundraising. Words alone may not fill a plate, but they can kindle the will to do so. --- Andrea Stuart, Poet & Editor-in-Chief of Up.St.ART Annapolis
***
Poems that nourish the soul while helping put food on the tables of those experiencing hunger...Artists coming together for a good cause can have a powerful impact.
Enjoy the poems and pass them along to others. I hope that Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger inspires you to take action in your community and beyond. -- Megan McGrath, NBC4 Washington
***
Poetry has the power to move hearts and mobilize communities. Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems reminds us that creativity is not just expression, it can be action. When words inspire compassion and collective
responsibility, they can help turn awareness into real solutions for hunger around the world. — Donna Guerin, Founder, Global Lighthouse Studios
***
This collection is a powerful reminder that poetry is not only meant to move us, but to mobilize us. At the East Coast Arts & Literature League, we’ve seen firsthand how creative expression can spark real-world impact. This new work beautifully connects art to the urgent fight against hunger, and we're sure it will mobilize those who read and enjoy it.
--Tara Tomczyk, President, East Coast Arts & Literature League
***
I grew up in the wheat and corn fields of Kansas. My dad taught me: never lose or misuse a handful of wheat. I think of this advice often in considering the other end of the food chain – hunger. And poetry is a beautiful way to view this difficult problem. Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems is a great place to start. --Marlin Fitzwater, Press Secretary to Presidents Reagan and Bush
***
Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems inspires me to stay in the fight against hunger. Through the powerful medium of poetry, this diverse collection brings to life the experiences of our fellow human family members. Poetry moves us to act - it connects us with diverse people and common challenges, whether they live in the United States, Uganda, Asia or countries across the Sahel zone of Africa. Let us use this collection to build awareness and share practical ideas for solutions. -- Dr. Margaret M. Zeigler, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)
***
Poetry captures the many dimensions of hunger and food insecurity in ways that statistics alone cannot. Poetry speaks directly to the soul through vivid, relatable storytelling, helping readers imagine lived experiences and recognize hunger as a global public health issue that demands action. At Roots for Life, we embody this storytelling to help us develop impactful programs. Lines from this collection like “hunger is outrunning the earth” stay with you, urging us to respond collectively because meaningful change happens when we act together. – Rhonda Watson, Executive Director, Roots for Life
***
Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems is a powerful reminder that compassion becomes real when it takes tangible form. These poems give voice to the silent ache of hunger and call us to act. As a faith community, we are invited to carry these words into our classrooms, sanctuaries, and neighborhoods so that awareness becomes generosity that leads to sustenance. My hope is that this collection will stir hearts and mobilize hands toward a world where no one goes unfed. – Pastor Ryan Alonso, Lineage Church
***
Hunger is not only a crisis of empty plates, it is a crisis of unheard voices. Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems speaks to a belief we’ve shared with Poetry X Hunger and Hiram Larew for many years—that poetry can play a real role in the fight against hunger. Through WSCAH’s Writing Against Hunger contest, we’ve seen how poetry helps people connect personally to food justice and turn reflection into action, and we’re especially glad to see a contest winner included in this collection. This book is a reminder that words can build connection, spark commitment, and, quite literally, help put food on the table. -- Chef Greg Silverman, CEO & Executive Director, West Side Campaign Against Hunger (WSCAH)
***
Hunger knows no boundaries or borders—within our nation or across the globe. Just as the injustice of hunger inflicts pain everywhere, poetry has the power to inspire anywhere. Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems brings together gifted voices whose words stir empathy, illuminate the lived realities of hunger, and transform emotional resonance into a call for collective action. -- Eric Mitchell, President, Alliance to End Hunger
***
Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems is a poignant reminder to slow down, reflect, and take action to improve food security. Seed Programs International has experienced firsthand how poetry can raise awareness and funds that have created school gardens in Uganda, providing vital nourishment for students. When we speak about hunger, we invite others to be part of the solution. -- Robyn Love, President and CEO, Seed Programs International
***
Poetry has a unique power to move people and inspire action. Feed the Children’s global movement to end childhood hunger is built on individuals and organizations using their time, talent, and resources to create positive change. Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems shows how artistic expression can help turn awareness into meaningful impact for children and families that need it most, supporting children not just to survive, but to thrive as we work to create a world where no child goes to bed hungry. -- Emily Callahan, President and CEO of Feed the Children.
***
My brother is the artist and the poet; I am the advocate and politician. I have always believed in the power of words to change the way the wind is blowing. May the words in this collection inspire you to repair the world and ensure that all of our sisters and brothers are nourished — mind, body, and soul. May poetry allow us to cross out the reality of hunger in our world of plenty. -- Max Finberg, Vice President of Government Affairs, Chobani. Formerly UN World Food Program, White
House, USDA, State Department, AmeriCorps, Capitol Hill and various anti- hunger nonprofits
***
As both an artist and a leader in the performing arts, I am deeply moved by Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems. This collection reminds us that art is not just something we experience—it is something we are called to do. These poems hold a mirror to the realities of hunger in a way that is both intimate and urgent, asking us not to turn away, but to respond. What resonates most is the intentionality behind this work—the belief that poetry can extend beyond expression and become action. That it can gather people, shift perspective, and even contribute to meeting real human needs.
As someone committed to using the arts as a vehicle for access, equity, and transformation, I see this collection as a powerful example of what it means to align artistry with purpose. Poetry X Hunger is not only a beautiful body of work—it is a call to engage, to give, and to care more deeply about the world we are shaping together. -- Ayanna Freelon, Interim Executive Director, Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts (CAAPA)
***
No! Mere words are not ‘Enough’ to alleviate food insecurity and food waste. This collection is a global call to act, capturing hunger's impact through a lens that illustrates its impact. We need to eliminate food waste, and the ‘fruits of famine’ with alternative options such as urban gardening for nutrient dense foods. Every action secures and protects current and future generations and their families from hunger. Hunger is not a choice. Sympathizing without action should prick our hearts each time we toss that ‘last grape’ or place any morsel of food in our mouths, as there are ‘mouths of the world’ that longs for that morsel.
Recommendations to share the poetry:
***
This collection is one of those lifelines that connect us all in the big net of life. It is powerful poetry that reminds us of the myriad opportunities we have to listen, give, share, feed, and extend our compassion to one another. The ghastly plight of
hunger in our world simply should not be, but its harsh reality cannot be ignored. Thank you to Poetry X Hunger for throwing out poetic lifelines to a weary world, raising funds by “turning poetry into food. --Elizabeth Gracen, Miss America
1982 and founder of Flapper House Inc. —a nonprofit 501(c)(3) multimedia company that supports public awareness of the Arts as well as causes and issues that benefit the world.
***
If we are to truly conquer hunger wherever it may be, we need everyone to join the fight. Poets most definitely included! Some warriors grow food, others distribute it; some target purse strings, others appeal to logic. This collection of Poetry X Hunger poems strikes directly at the heart.
-- Roger Thurow, Author of Abiding Hunger: An American Paradox (Agate Publishing, 2026)
***
Words shape our world—thus Turning into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems has power, giving voice to the silent ache of an empty stomach and the dignity behind every hunger. It reveals the harsh truth of lands where rains and seeds cannot rise, where survival bends under an unforgiving sky. It confronts the injustice of excess and waste alongside desperate need, refusing to let us look away. Let our words become a movement—because ending hunger is not a dream; it is a choice we can make together. -- Mercy Karanja, Founder of Mpatapo Learning Circle and former Senior Program Officer at the Gates Foundation
***
"As a developmental scientist and advocate for children, I believe this powerful collection of poetry serves as a vital tool in addressing childhood hunger. Through evocative words and compelling imagery, it not only raises awareness of the devastating impact of hunger on children but also inspires action and compassion. This anthology has the potential to transform empathy into tangible solutions, ensuring that no child goes to bed hungry." -- Suzanne Le Menestrel, Ph.D., Executive Director, Society for Research in Child Development
***
Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems shows us that the most important art is that which is taken off the wall and put to use. Every poem in this collection could stand alone in any anthology as an accomplishment, but here they're gathered together to ask something of you: Don't turn away. -- Ryan Dennis, Editor of The Milk House ( a Journal of Rural Writing), and Author of Barn Gothic (Island Press, 2025)
***
Poets voice the aspirations of the people, naming injustice, imagining a better world. When we founded Split This Rock in 2008, our call was to "bring poetry to the center of public life, where it belongs." We built the organization in the spirit of poets in the Civil Rights Movement, the Women's Movement, and all our struggles for justice. Turning Poetry Into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems powerfully carries forward these traditions, offering poems of heartbreak, challenge, and hope. Read the poems at vigils and religious services, send them to elected officials, add them to newsletters, website, flyers and posters, kick off meetings with their beauty and balm. You'll shift the conversation and move hearts to action! - Sarah Browning, co- founder, Split This Rock, and author of Call Me Yes
***
This stunning collection achieves the impossible, gathering together poetry both lyrical and commanding, poetry both lush in metaphor and focused in intent. What a brilliant book that raises awareness about the problem of hunger and food insecurity. These poets, from the World Food Day Poetry Prize winners, to the second-grade student, all write with perception and vision, whether exploring hunger in the Sudan, in Senegal, or in the United States. Let this anthology be your guide through an issue too big and too unsettling to ignore. --Mary Swander, former Poet Laureate of the State of Iowa
***
Food is life, yet millions still go hungry in a world that produces enough. As someone who has worked in agriculture in both Pakistan and the United States, I have seen that the real challenge is not only producing food, but ensuring it reaches every table. Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems reminds us that hunger persists not because food is scarce, but because attention, compassion, and action are. These poems challenge us to see food not as a commodity, but as a shared human right; and to act before another plate goes empty. -- Fawad Khan, PhD, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan
***
We are all human, and we all need to eat. Yet in our world of plenty, far too many people still go without. Food is more than fuel—it is dignity, community, culture, love, and joy. Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems is a
beautiful and moving reminder of our shared humanity, and our common responsibility to imagine and work towards a future where no one on this planet goes hungry. -- U.S. Congressman Jim McGovern, Second District of Massachusetts
***
Poetry can make us feel the immediacy of other lives, see present circumstances with unexpected clarity, and imagine making changes never thought about. These poems declare why hunger is unacceptable, why we cannot simply look away, and why we must not let it prey on the poor and vulnerable among us. -- Edward Ray, Oregon State University President Emeritus
***
We all hunger. Some hunger announces itself with hollow bellies, empty of sustenance. Other forms are quieter: the slow starvation of the spirit. And often, these hungers intertwine, overlapping in ways both visible and unseen. Poetry has the rare ability to nourish on more than one level. It feeds the spirit directly through inspiration, reflection, and the invitation to create. And it feeds the body indirectly, stirring awareness and compassion that can move us toward action. Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems seeks to nourish both soul and community by raising awareness of food insecurity while supporting efforts to ease it through education and fundraising. Words alone may not fill a plate, but they can kindle the will to do so. --- Andrea Stuart, Poet & Editor-in-Chief of Up.St.ART Annapolis
***
Poems that nourish the soul while helping put food on the tables of those experiencing hunger...Artists coming together for a good cause can have a powerful impact.
Enjoy the poems and pass them along to others. I hope that Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger inspires you to take action in your community and beyond. -- Megan McGrath, NBC4 Washington
***
Poetry has the power to move hearts and mobilize communities. Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems reminds us that creativity is not just expression, it can be action. When words inspire compassion and collective
responsibility, they can help turn awareness into real solutions for hunger around the world. — Donna Guerin, Founder, Global Lighthouse Studios
***
This collection is a powerful reminder that poetry is not only meant to move us, but to mobilize us. At the East Coast Arts & Literature League, we’ve seen firsthand how creative expression can spark real-world impact. This new work beautifully connects art to the urgent fight against hunger, and we're sure it will mobilize those who read and enjoy it.
--Tara Tomczyk, President, East Coast Arts & Literature League
***
I grew up in the wheat and corn fields of Kansas. My dad taught me: never lose or misuse a handful of wheat. I think of this advice often in considering the other end of the food chain – hunger. And poetry is a beautiful way to view this difficult problem. Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems is a great place to start. --Marlin Fitzwater, Press Secretary to Presidents Reagan and Bush
***
Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems inspires me to stay in the fight against hunger. Through the powerful medium of poetry, this diverse collection brings to life the experiences of our fellow human family members. Poetry moves us to act - it connects us with diverse people and common challenges, whether they live in the United States, Uganda, Asia or countries across the Sahel zone of Africa. Let us use this collection to build awareness and share practical ideas for solutions. -- Dr. Margaret M. Zeigler, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)
***
Poetry captures the many dimensions of hunger and food insecurity in ways that statistics alone cannot. Poetry speaks directly to the soul through vivid, relatable storytelling, helping readers imagine lived experiences and recognize hunger as a global public health issue that demands action. At Roots for Life, we embody this storytelling to help us develop impactful programs. Lines from this collection like “hunger is outrunning the earth” stay with you, urging us to respond collectively because meaningful change happens when we act together. – Rhonda Watson, Executive Director, Roots for Life
***
Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems is a powerful reminder that compassion becomes real when it takes tangible form. These poems give voice to the silent ache of hunger and call us to act. As a faith community, we are invited to carry these words into our classrooms, sanctuaries, and neighborhoods so that awareness becomes generosity that leads to sustenance. My hope is that this collection will stir hearts and mobilize hands toward a world where no one goes unfed. – Pastor Ryan Alonso, Lineage Church
***
Hunger is not only a crisis of empty plates, it is a crisis of unheard voices. Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems speaks to a belief we’ve shared with Poetry X Hunger and Hiram Larew for many years—that poetry can play a real role in the fight against hunger. Through WSCAH’s Writing Against Hunger contest, we’ve seen how poetry helps people connect personally to food justice and turn reflection into action, and we’re especially glad to see a contest winner included in this collection. This book is a reminder that words can build connection, spark commitment, and, quite literally, help put food on the table. -- Chef Greg Silverman, CEO & Executive Director, West Side Campaign Against Hunger (WSCAH)
***
Hunger knows no boundaries or borders—within our nation or across the globe. Just as the injustice of hunger inflicts pain everywhere, poetry has the power to inspire anywhere. Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems brings together gifted voices whose words stir empathy, illuminate the lived realities of hunger, and transform emotional resonance into a call for collective action. -- Eric Mitchell, President, Alliance to End Hunger
***
Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems is a poignant reminder to slow down, reflect, and take action to improve food security. Seed Programs International has experienced firsthand how poetry can raise awareness and funds that have created school gardens in Uganda, providing vital nourishment for students. When we speak about hunger, we invite others to be part of the solution. -- Robyn Love, President and CEO, Seed Programs International
***
Poetry has a unique power to move people and inspire action. Feed the Children’s global movement to end childhood hunger is built on individuals and organizations using their time, talent, and resources to create positive change. Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems shows how artistic expression can help turn awareness into meaningful impact for children and families that need it most, supporting children not just to survive, but to thrive as we work to create a world where no child goes to bed hungry. -- Emily Callahan, President and CEO of Feed the Children.
***
My brother is the artist and the poet; I am the advocate and politician. I have always believed in the power of words to change the way the wind is blowing. May the words in this collection inspire you to repair the world and ensure that all of our sisters and brothers are nourished — mind, body, and soul. May poetry allow us to cross out the reality of hunger in our world of plenty. -- Max Finberg, Vice President of Government Affairs, Chobani. Formerly UN World Food Program, White
House, USDA, State Department, AmeriCorps, Capitol Hill and various anti- hunger nonprofits
***
As both an artist and a leader in the performing arts, I am deeply moved by Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems. This collection reminds us that art is not just something we experience—it is something we are called to do. These poems hold a mirror to the realities of hunger in a way that is both intimate and urgent, asking us not to turn away, but to respond. What resonates most is the intentionality behind this work—the belief that poetry can extend beyond expression and become action. That it can gather people, shift perspective, and even contribute to meeting real human needs.
As someone committed to using the arts as a vehicle for access, equity, and transformation, I see this collection as a powerful example of what it means to align artistry with purpose. Poetry X Hunger is not only a beautiful body of work—it is a call to engage, to give, and to care more deeply about the world we are shaping together. -- Ayanna Freelon, Interim Executive Director, Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts (CAAPA)
***
No! Mere words are not ‘Enough’ to alleviate food insecurity and food waste. This collection is a global call to act, capturing hunger's impact through a lens that illustrates its impact. We need to eliminate food waste, and the ‘fruits of famine’ with alternative options such as urban gardening for nutrient dense foods. Every action secures and protects current and future generations and their families from hunger. Hunger is not a choice. Sympathizing without action should prick our hearts each time we toss that ‘last grape’ or place any morsel of food in our mouths, as there are ‘mouths of the world’ that longs for that morsel.
Recommendations to share the poetry:
- Encouraging folks to quote snippets and of course citing the authors.
- Not only sharing with friends and family but also with professional agronomists (just recently learned about this profession) and other agricultural professionals.
- School presentations - most children of today in the United States have no clue about hunger. Those that have been fortunate not to have experienced hunger and lack of clean water can be the catalyst for their parents to act as well as the future generations to alleviate the problem. -- Flora Bartek, 2025-2026 President, Parole (Maryland) Rotary Club
***
This collection is one of those lifelines that connect us all in the big net of life. It is powerful poetry that reminds us of the myriad opportunities we have to listen, give, share, feed, and extend our compassion to one another. The ghastly plight of
hunger in our world simply should not be, but its harsh reality cannot be ignored. Thank you to Poetry X Hunger for throwing out poetic lifelines to a weary world, raising funds by “turning poetry into food. --Elizabeth Gracen, Miss America
1982 and founder of Flapper House Inc. —a nonprofit 501(c)(3) multimedia company that supports public awareness of the Arts as well as causes and issues that benefit the world.
***
If we are to truly conquer hunger wherever it may be, we need everyone to join the fight. Poets most definitely included! Some warriors grow food, others distribute it; some target purse strings, others appeal to logic. This collection of Poetry X Hunger poems strikes directly at the heart.
-- Roger Thurow, Author of Abiding Hunger: An American Paradox (Agate Publishing, 2026)
***
Words shape our world—thus Turning into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems has power, giving voice to the silent ache of an empty stomach and the dignity behind every hunger. It reveals the harsh truth of lands where rains and seeds cannot rise, where survival bends under an unforgiving sky. It confronts the injustice of excess and waste alongside desperate need, refusing to let us look away. Let our words become a movement—because ending hunger is not a dream; it is a choice we can make together. -- Mercy Karanja, Founder of Mpatapo Learning Circle and former Senior Program Officer at the Gates Foundation
***
"As a developmental scientist and advocate for children, I believe this powerful collection of poetry serves as a vital tool in addressing childhood hunger. Through evocative words and compelling imagery, it not only raises awareness of the devastating impact of hunger on children but also inspires action and compassion. This anthology has the potential to transform empathy into tangible solutions, ensuring that no child goes to bed hungry." -- Suzanne Le Menestrel, Ph.D., Executive Director, Society for Research in Child Development
***
Turning Poetry into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems shows us that the most important art is that which is taken off the wall and put to use. Every poem in this collection could stand alone in any anthology as an accomplishment, but here they're gathered together to ask something of you: Don't turn away. -- Ryan Dennis, Editor of The Milk House ( a Journal of Rural Writing), and Author of Barn Gothic (Island Press, 2025)
***
Poets voice the aspirations of the people, naming injustice, imagining a better world. When we founded Split This Rock in 2008, our call was to "bring poetry to the center of public life, where it belongs." We built the organization in the spirit of poets in the Civil Rights Movement, the Women's Movement, and all our struggles for justice. Turning Poetry Into Food: A Collection of Poetry X Hunger Poems powerfully carries forward these traditions, offering poems of heartbreak, challenge, and hope. Read the poems at vigils and religious services, send them to elected officials, add them to newsletters, website, flyers and posters, kick off meetings with their beauty and balm. You'll shift the conversation and move hearts to action! - Sarah Browning, co- founder, Split This Rock, and author of Call Me Yes
***
This stunning collection achieves the impossible, gathering together poetry both lyrical and commanding, poetry both lush in metaphor and focused in intent. What a brilliant book that raises awareness about the problem of hunger and food insecurity. These poets, from the World Food Day Poetry Prize winners, to the second-grade student, all write with perception and vision, whether exploring hunger in the Sudan, in Senegal, or in the United States. Let this anthology be your guide through an issue too big and too unsettling to ignore. --Mary Swander, former Poet Laureate of the State of Iowa