Tonight, there are families who will go to bed
Without having eaten dinner. They will slip
Through sheets of faded blue, stained with
Salt from the tears of hungry children. They
Ache for food and search for drink that will
Satisfy their tiny bellies. How many times
Must a mother close the bathroom door to hide
Pools of gray collecting beneath her eyes,
Who gives up her meal just so her son can eat?
The pain of hunger rips the darkness.
The sound disturbs the silence.
When the sun pierces the blinds,
It will still be there.
I wrote this piece to raise awareness of the hunger crisis that is occurring throughout the pandemic. I’m grieving over families and particularly children without food. Please consider donating to a hunger relief organization such as No Kid Hungry. As medical students, I know we’re strapped for money, but even just a few dollars can go a long way. Thank you!
Poetry Thursdays is an initiative that highlights poems by medical students and physicians. If you are interested in contributing or would like to learn more, please contact our editors.
Contributing Writer
Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University
Anna Delamerced is a fourth-year medical student at Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island class of 2021. She graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts in public health. She enjoys writing poetry and is passionate about advocating for kids as a future pediatrician.