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Poem by Willeena Booker

12/31/2021

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longing for more

barebones palette salivating on stale air
inhale aromatic memories before cupboards were left bare

praying for a meal but a morsel is barely there 
silent duel with hunger's boastful stare

one country wallows in gluttony yet another laments in despair
 if all men are created equal why is life so unfair

 incessant gnawing deep in the pit of my pitiful soul
 longing for sustenance to overflow an empty bowl

 mocking me, looming large, whither I go
 trembling hands unmask pain, my desperation grows

 head tucked low veiling the shame
 begging for food, oh God, this is insane!

 the Earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof
 starvation is a poison, the antidote is love

full bellies pass by in quick paste steps
 failing to see my hour of woe and regret

 God bless the one who grows his own
 tilling the ground with hands of his native home

 villagers pledge to restore the land
 plant more trees united we stand

 hunger, a silent pandemic raging out of control
 millions go hungry, but who keeps tally of the toll

 swaddled skeletons and emaciated remains
 hidden 6 feet deep, the world in motion yet unchanged

 come stand with me, brothers and sisters, let us rise as one
 act to eradicate hunger until global victory is won 
Audio reading --  https://watch.screencastify.com/v/1o1aTqq9nu0XAE6HbD5Q
Picture
Willeena Booker is an elementary school teacher and a poet. She enjoys writing poetry that touches the heart and challenges the mind. Her work has recently been published by Moonstone Arts Center's Poetry Ink Anthology 2021, Haiku 2021 Anthology, and NonSense Verse Anthology 2021. Poet Project has featured her poem I Matter on their BIPOC poetry page and she was a finalist for the Rise Up Anthology by Oprell Magazine. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and 3 daughters.

​

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    About

    The poems that follow are powerful evidence that Poetry Speaks Back to Hunger!

    They were submitted to the 2021 World Food Day Special Call for Poems from North American Poets.  Several of these poems will be showcased in the coming weeks by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the Capital Area Food Bank.  

    Thanks to poets Josephine LoRe (Alberta, Canada), Brian Donnell James (Virginia, USA) and Martiza Rivera (Maryland, USA) for helping to assess the poems.  Thanks also to Rebecca Roach for donating nearly 1200 tree seedlings on behalf of the poets who submitted work.  And, a big thanks to poet Aaron R who helped to administer the Special Call. ​

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  • Home
  • Art Auction to Alleviate Hunger
  • Hunger Poetry
    • Hunger Poems
    • World Food Day Poetry Competition >
      • 2021
      • 2020
      • 2019
      • 2018
    • Maryland Poets
    • International Poets
  • About
    • About the Initiative
    • Initiative Founder
    • Advisory Board
  • News & Blog
  • Young!
    • Poems by Young Poets
    • Videos
    • Materials for Teachers
  • Library
    • Extent of Hunger >
      • Global Hunger: Progress & Challenges
      • Hunger in the US
    • Historic Accounts of Hunger >
      • Africa
      • The Americas
      • Asia
      • Europe and Russia
    • Historical Poems
    • Interviews
    • Recent highlights
  • Contact/Submit/Take Action
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Call to Action
    • Resources & Donations >
      • Global resources
      • US resources
      • Maryland resources