Two Loaves of Self-Respect- A Poem on Hunger & Dignity
Two loaves of self-respect are very expensive, sir.
These two loaves require a lot of hard work and a lot of self-sacrifice.
I don’t know how much solace
I need to give my heart,
how much I need to calm my brain.
Yes, two loaves of bread of self-respect are very expensive, sir.
We have to console the hungry and crying person
with false promises of food,
We have to feed water to the crying innocent children
by telling them that it is nectar, and
We ourselves have to drink
some water and wait for tomorrow to get a meal.
How pathetic…hunger is a real issue for humanity, sir.
Two loaves of bread of self-respect are very expensive, Sir.
Hunger is hunger; it seems random
Hunger comes without discrimination, sir.
It doesn’t care whether
There’s money in the wallet or not.
Hunger doesn’t care whether
The kitchen utensils are full or empty.
It doesn’t care whether you got your wages today or not.
Two loaves of self-respect are very expensive, sir.
Soothing the heart and satisfying
Hungry stomachs are two different things, sir.
The heart can still understand,
But a hungry stomach… the pain of
An empty stomach is bizarre, sir.
Two loaves of self-respect are very expensive, sir.
No one knows how many temptations
they must guard themselves against.
No one knows how many desires
they must suppress deep within themselves.
Hunger makes you face a lot of
negative thoughts from people,
even those people who are better off look down on you.
Two loaves with self-respect are very expensive, sir.
Hunger is that disease, sir, that completely
erases the difference between right and wrong.
Hunger is that pain, sir, that causes a person
who struggles with it to die countless times every day.
Look, stop for a moment, sir, and imagine how it feels
when you can’t eat for some reason. It’s so painful, isn’t it, sir?
Now imagine how those people think
who don’t even get one meal a day.
For them, two loaves of dignity are hard to get, sir.
How can people who live in solid houses and
have a lot of money in their pockets
understand the pain of hunger? They don’t
even know that people can die of hunger.
Sir, pause for a moment and imagine how painful
It is when you are unable to eat food for some reason.
These hungry people are also from this earth, Sir.
Why are the voices raised for them vanish in thin air, Sir?
Who knows, some of them might have great abilities
to carry the burden of hunger, who knows,
they might have immense potential in their arms,
but everything becomes meaningless in the face of hunger!
What kind of society have we created, sir?
One person’s food often ends up in the garbage,
and another person eats food from the trash, thinking it’s delicious.
Actually, they do this just for their survival.
It’s very uncivil to humanity, isn’t it, sir?
It’s very disrespectful indeed, especially
when we think of the larger good of society, don’t you agree, sir?
But, honestly, how can you think about this?
You are unable to peep beyond your rich corridor, aren’t you, sir?
Isn’t it worrisome?
Isn’t it bothering those who make
policies to eradicate hunger from the world?
The task is quite difficult, but difficulties and challenges
persist as the rich become richer,
while the poor continue to struggle to get a meal.
Two Loaves of Self-Respect – A Poem on Hunger & Dignity
“Two Loaves of Self-Respect” is a powerful and emotional poem that highlights the harsh reality of hunger and the heavy cost of dignity in a world of inequality.
The Reality of Hunger in Poetry
Meaning Behind the Poem
Hunger vs Self Respect
The poem highlights the painful choice between dignity and survival in a society driven by inequality.
Social Reality
It reflects the invisible struggle faced by millions living in hunger and silence.
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