Poem by Sylvia Dianne Beverly aka Ladi Di

Homeless and Hungry

Where do I go to be safe?
Where, oh where do my children
     and I get a bite to eat during
     this pandemic?
Let it be told so someone can help
     our stomachs not to hurt.
So hungry, so cold at night!
My babies can not stop crying
Fear and pains reasons why.
Change gotta come for survival
     to remain.
Hard times drive us to be Homeless
     and Hungry
Wide-eyed Innocent Children stare
     in Wonderment
All babies know are severe pains of hunger
All babies want are a peanut butter and jelly
     ​sandwich
How about an apple, how about a
     banana, or sip of milk, some juice.
Hear babies’ feeble cry
Listen how they whimper.
Can you please show us way to
     shelter and food?
Food will take away pain
Unite to help rid our hunger, help
     Mothers stay sane.
Unity brings phenomenal change.
Thank you for awesome help you
     give to ex out gloom.
So my babies will stop crying
So my babies will have cover
     ​over head soon

Sylvia Dianne Beverly (Ladi Di) entered this poem about food waste in the 2018 World Food Day Poetry Prize competition.  A collection of her work is housed at George Washington University's Gelman Library.  Ladi Di celebrated the 40th Anniversary of Host Grace Cavalieri, reading on her show "The Poet and the Poem" at the Library of Congress Experience.

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