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Sunday, November 03, 2013

EMPTY PLATES: A RHYME

by Bill Sullivan



Image source: CNN


Betsy says there's food galore
but too few souls who will share.
Billy says that when he's in a store
he wants to grab a peach and a pear

but he doesn't dare.  Eddie fears
another fruitless day and night
but never a whine, never a tear. 
Bobby shouts,"It just isn't right."

An ignoble lady, long ago, said,
"Let them eat cake."  Our portly
rich say, The takers are over fed
on fillets--it's so unsightly."

Slash the food stamps and meals
the pols on farm subsidies demand.
Children quake at such a cruel deal,
scrape plates, reach out hands.


Bill Sullivan taught English and American studies at Keene State College before retiring to Westerly, Rhode Island.  He is co-author of two books on twentieth century poetry and co-producer of Here Am I, Send Me, a documentary film on Jonathan Daniels, a slain civil rights activist.  His poem have appeared in a number of print and on line publications.