Poetry Thursday: The Granola Bars
They hide in the closet
as all-purpose sustenance
for empty bellies
in the morning,
to calm nerves
before the test,
for the field trip
when the bus
might be late
Many a day
I hear
my stomach hurts
and we always try
a granola bar
before the nurse
usually it works
It seems a small token
hardly enough
to cover up
the thousand reasons
a child might
start the day
hungry.
Such a fragile
offering, a crippled
tool that will never
be the mortar
any person needs
to stand tall
over time.
At nights I dream
of muscular strength
and magic wands
that could change
the crooked wrongs
of this grey world
but at daybreak
my only slim powers
are granola bars
waiting
as all-purpose sustenance
for empty bellies
in the morning,
to calm nerves
before the test,
for the field trip
when the bus
might be late
Many a day
I hear
my stomach hurts
and we always try
a granola bar
before the nurse
usually it works
It seems a small token
hardly enough
to cover up
the thousand reasons
a child might
start the day
hungry.
Such a fragile
offering, a crippled
tool that will never
be the mortar
any person needs
to stand tall
over time.
At nights I dream
of muscular strength
and magic wands
that could change
the crooked wrongs
of this grey world
but at daybreak
my only slim powers
are granola bars
waiting
posted by Emily at 6:23 PM
10 Comments:
Emily,
I am so touched by your words:
"At nights I dream
of muscular strength
and magic wands
that could change
the crooked wrongs
of this grey world"
Oh if only a granola bar could change things wrong but we will continue to try! I love you.
Mom
Em, I always kept them in my closet and they solved a multitude of problems - from hunger pangs to morning sickness. I often thought of how these simple bits of nutrition were helping to form minds that were willing to stagnate or babes that were yet to see the light of day, and new bodies were being formed by the nutrition being emmitted from a simple pakaged cereal bar. Wouldn't this thought make a great ad? Hopefully some capitalist will read this and create an ad that will get kids all over the world hooked on GOOD food! Hey, that litttle trek to the voting booth was worth its while as well!
i don't know that i've ever had a granola bar (or fed one to anyone else), but i can definitely relate to emergency supplies in the cupboard (and the car) as "all-purpose sustenance".
I always marvel at the mom or the teacher who is always prepared, with just what is needed. It is a gift. I admire you.
i love that poem.
crooked wrongs of this grey world.
fierce.
touching words...
i especially like the last
four lines.
thanks for the kind comments
you left on my blog, :)
what a touching commentary on the state of things in our world. and how moving the momentary power of a granola bar, undoubtedly made more nourishing by the care with which it is offered.
This is a nice piece, some really great lines - the mortar, especially.
i love the way you captured these moments
in the morning. i often wish the quick fix (mine is a spoonful of peanut butter) could fix all that came before that morning hunger.
you are the muscle strength and i do believe i have seen you carrying your magic wand, too.
i can see it.
and, luckily, your girls benefit from it all.
you are such an amazing teacher and nurturer. i love knowing all my girl-babies come to you eventually.
this is really fine writing, just the kind of thing I'm looking for when I want an instant hit of something, a kind of simple understanding of the world around me. Thank you.
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