Somewhere in the world a mother cries,
She has to choose, who lives, who dies.
With her children crying at her feet,
She has to choose who doesn't eat.
Four bowls of rice, five mouths to feed,
Never enough to meet her need.
He sits there alone as his belly aches
And she closes the door as her heart breaks,
She knows tomorrow it plays out the same,
There is no winner in the ageless game.
She knows one day when she closes the door.
Her precious five will be no more.
Author notes
Photo of lonely starving child
Written April 8th, 2003
In a list
A contest entry
- Rhyming Sad Poetry by Only To This Paper.
300 points, ended April 19, 2005, 19 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 23 of 23
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hi
ok that was really good, the poem has very nice wrappings, trying to find the point ist made me cry it was really good -
this is heart breaking
and true life
ive cried a thousand tears and prayed for these families
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I can't believe I stumbled across this poem!! Only last night my friend told me that her mum may be able to get us into an orphanage in Africa as one of her clients privately owned some over there. I have always wanted to help people like this and now your poem, which by the way was excellent and very well written, has made me even more determined that I will do this!! I think that was a sign that i'm doing the right thing, thank you for sharing this poem.
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Wow that is amazing!! I often think of those who do not have enough food for their families and it breaks my heart. I love kids so much, to think of one in pain hurts me so. You did a very good job of explain a very sad and often overlooked issue. When I asked for sad most gave me a sad poem about themselves but you gave me one about others pain, others that you didn't know. That says something about the kind of person you are. I must believe that you are very kind and often put others needs above your own. This is an amazing poem written by an amazing poet.
Lost in life,
xshadowxgirlx -
Those first two lines really draw in a person and make them want to read it! It's like those commercaisl where they ask you to send money for those poor starving children. I'd sponsor a new one everytime I saw the commercail if I had the money too. Well anyways this was a very good poem and I wish you the best of luck in the contest and hope the you do well.
Kelly
The OCD Queen -
Nike, this is gripping, you can't not read it once you have started, It made me feel very emotional. Such a stark image of the reality people face in ou world today. This touched me deeply. I have been considering for some time nowsponsoring a third world child, and you have given me the push with this poem to act upon my impulse, so thank you!
The rhyme scheme is flawless, and the commas perfectly placed. It is sad, poignant and highly emotive. The realism is what causes most impact, we see the effects of poverty everywhere, and everyday and because of this we have maybe become complacent. Please think about asking some of the agencies like World Aid or Oxfam if they would use this in an advertisement, I feel that it would help them get more donations. I applaud the way you have been able to illustrate so beautifully the struggle of this woman, It reads like as though writen from personal experience. Well done. -
Omg, this is so sad, i cant believe that this is going on.... the picture made the poem come all together... ya know what i mean? This is so sad, but very good. when i was reading this, i had tears in my eyes!! crys I love the poem, and i love how it rhymed and everything!
Keep Writing
Brandy*~
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Well-written and very sad!! I feel very fortunate that I will never have to make a gut-wrenching decision like that. It's hard enough being a mother without having to see your children suffer like that.
Maureen -
This is quite moving, although I'm not sure it would be the case. It's possible she would give her own life before she lets a child die...
the rhyming works okay, which is a relief. No, there is no winner. but a good poem to build on. -
wow... the hard truth without censoring it.
"Somewhere in the world a mother cries,
She has to choose, who lives, who dies.
With her children crying at her feet,
She has to choose who doesn't eat. "
the sad hard truth..
And well if this was a single contest and I was judge, I would have picked yours as winner.
Now how sad the poem is i still feel a lil happyness left cuz this awesome writer is on my team
But its the best one i read about this picture. -
Groovy
Oh my god, "Her precious five will be no more." How sad. And I bet that's just the way it is. I loved the poem. and it's sounds so likely that life could happen like that. I bet that child in the picture never got the help he/she needed and is nolonger with us. That is such a sad way to see life. I think reading the challenges has really opened my eyes to life.
Thanks,
Kali -
Ya know... this really is sad and painfully touching, i've had times in my life where i've had barely enough food to feed my kids, and i wouldn't eat anything until i knew their bellies were full... sometimes i didn't eat at all. i know how a mother feels in this situation, and your poem really stirs up that emotion in me.
Well done,
~ Wendy -
so sad.. saw every emotion in the words... very touching poem... awesome write.. great job.
God Bless -
My initial reaction to this was negative due to the use of rhyme. I felt that it was a bit much for the subject matter. My opinion changed after I read it again. It seems to work with the rhythm you have set up. I liked this.
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wow, nike.
i was really impressed with the way you left me feeling vacant. i can't place my finger on just what works here, but something sho'nuff does. i would think it's the fact that you pulled into play the HUMANITY of it all. not just the outward appearances and external circumstances, but the INNER turmoil. way to pick a gut-wrenching moment and follow it through.
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The first two lines have an immediate effect on the reader. The message is expressed in a straightforward way, but instills many emotions. The images you created are realistic and sad, just as the picture conveys. I like the rhythm.
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ok. ya went and made me cry again
I chose this picture actually for my history of photography class and had to give my speech today as to why I felt it was the most compelling picuture to me. I didnt really have to say much, as it affected the entire class. I dont remember looking out into an audience of people listening to me talk and see so many faces of guilt....
I taped that picture by my bed as my reality check.
it makes the really crappy days that feel like the end of the world look like a vacation in the tropics. -
This was the idea I originally toyed with for my own poem, and Im glad I decided to go with another one, coz you did it so much better than I would have. A mother having to choose which mouth to feed... Very touching.
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whew, what can I say? I am unsure of how I feel about this poem. My first reading, I felt the rhyme took away from the message. With the second reading though it seemed to strengthen the whole thing. I guess I will have to come back to it at a later date and see what it has become by then.
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Ok... I saw tears. Your poem really moved me.
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*sniff* this is so sad. Very strong impact, and something no one should ever have to go through.
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The image is glued in my mind. I can't get it out of my head. I feel so guilty for ever complaining about anything, when I look at that picture I realize I have nothing to complain about really.
You have created a very sad story here, of a mother needing more food to feed her starving children and not having enough. The pain she must endure, knowing that her children's lives are in her hands and she is powerless to make their lives better.
well done -
The use of a mother in the opening line gives an instant impact as it is a figure we can all associate closely with, and the choices she is forced to make play on the feelings of the reader well.
Good use of a tight rhyme, and with each line having a syllable count of either 8,9 or 10 this works well as long as the count is close (I.E. 8 to 9 or 9 to 10) but in the last couplet it does jump from 8 to 10, but in this case you have pulled it off well and being the final line it doesn't distract too much.
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