{"id":1287,"date":"2014-01-16T19:55:59","date_gmt":"2014-01-17T00:55:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/toppun.com\/blog\/?p=1287"},"modified":"2014-01-16T19:59:07","modified_gmt":"2014-01-17T00:59:07","slug":"poem-hungering-answers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/toppun.com\/blog\/2014\/01\/16\/poem-hungering-answers\/","title":{"rendered":"POEM: Hungering for Answers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hungering for Answers<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We should stay the course<\/span>
\nTo turn the corner<\/span>
\nTo see the light<\/span>
\nAt the end of the tunnel<\/span>
\nYet long-term solutions<\/span>
\nFor the hungry<\/span>
\nAre difficult to stomach<\/span>
\nAs for those who have<\/span>
\nEmpty hearts<\/span>
\nEatin’ out<\/span>
\nOver the question<\/span>
\nWhat too due<\/span>
\nAnd how fast<\/span><\/p>\n

This is another poem in honor of the 50th anniversary of the “War on hunger.”\u00a0 Well-fed minds are familiar with the tensions between short-term “charity” and long-term solutions in addressing social issues.\u00a0 Of course, long-term responses and procrastination across generations often go hand-in-hand among those with well-fed stomachs.\u00a0 Hunger is not an issue that can be compassionately put off.\u00a0 Tomorrow’s solutions still leave today’s empty belly empty.\u00a0 It strikes me that the juxtaposition of great wealth and grinding poverty in our world yields a parallel juxtapositioning of empty bellies and empty hearts.\u00a0 A typical excuse that well-fed minds make to their empty hearts is that continued hunger will teach those hungering how to be more responsible and avoid their hunger at some later date.\u00a0 This sets up a bizarre serendipity in that children are most likely to be poor and hungry as well as thirsty sponges for learning.\u00a0 So, what are these hungry children learning?\u00a0 My guess is that hungry children learn more about the callousness of those with excess than the obvious lessons in securing food.\u00a0 As if the excruciating experience of grinding poverty isn’t incentive enough!\u00a0 Apparently not.\u00a0 Of course, there are profound social factors outside of the control of hungry children and the overwhelming majority of hungry adults.\u00a0 Given these realities, it is absurd to posit that individual irresponsibility is the primary cause of hunger.\u00a0 Probably much worse than absurd; in fact: empty-hearted.\u00a0 May we smash the barriers that keep us from sharing our abundance with those who have too little.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hungering for Answers We should stay the course To turn the corner To see the light At the end of the tunnel Yet long-term solutions For the hungry Are difficult to stomach As for those who have Empty hearts Eatin’ … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,15],"tags":[503,518,519,339,341,428,178,431,471,438,658,94,107,112,409,593,53,203,111],"class_list":["post-1287","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-poems","category-political-and-philosophical-musings","tag-abundance","tag-charity","tag-children","tag-compassion","tag-control","tag-experience","tag-food","tag-heart","tag-learning","tag-mind","tag-poems","tag-poetry","tag-poor","tag-poverty","tag-responsibility","tag-serendipity","tag-short-poems","tag-war","tag-wealth"],"yoast_head":"\nPOEM: Hungering for Answers | Poems, Political and Philosophical Musings | Top Pun's Poetry, Funny Puns, Free Posters, Public Health Radio Show! 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