Alums of the Farm Respond to Starvation Alarm on National Famine Memorial Day
We Americans tend to be a generous and giving lot
To help the less fortunate is what most of have been taught
We are famous for charity dinners, balls, auctions, and
sponsored races
Where at the end of the day the donors make the society
pages with beaming faces
But for some, true charity and good works are recognized only
by self
Any accolades remain where they belong on the inner shelf
So it was on, ironically, May 17, National Famine Memorial Day
When some consider among the brightest of the bright chose volunteerism
to display
No selfies, no cameras, no reporters, no you tubes, no Facebook postings, no tweets, or no hash tags
Only hard work, moving pound after pound of food with a pace
that would not lag
How more fitting that alums from a place during football
they call “The Farm”
Would volunteer at Orange County’s Second Harvest to attack
the hunger harm
The Hunger Games displayed
to thousands in theaters watching on the screen
Is great theater but on the streets in this land, the reaper
of hunger is only obscene
We have spent fortunes looking for the solvents to
differences dissolve
A quick scan of history tells us we are nowhere near that
problem to solve
A chemist might say water, a behavioralist might pick wine
A linguist might suggest common language as the grand design
The politician might the marriage of royal families to
close the we versus them nation trap
Actually, it is far easier and as simple as low hanging
fruit falling into one’s lap
The universal solvent that brings humans out of the darkness
and into the circle of the fire
Is the sharing of food and the sense of worth and gratitude
such sharing will inspire
How can one after with another of different color, birth, tongue,
standing or creed
After sharing one’s bounties of food not want to reach out
and help those humans in need
We are of the same blood, we all share this tiny speck and
we share Lucy’s DNA
Hard to beat humanity in action when volunteering at Second
Harvest for a mere three hours on one day.
© May 19, 2014 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
No comments:
Post a Comment