Stevie Wills Famine Poem
Video transcript
The land is dry.
Her throat stretched
strained through earth
dust lodged
she cries out
for rain
for water
she yearns to water
to give water
to those she loves
those whose feet have stepped upon her
shaped her
as she has shaped them
feet
who tread softly upon her
walking in oneness with her
tendered to her.
She watches as they grow thin
grow weak.
She watches as they waste
helplessly grieving
for her people.
She hungers to feed them.
She watches
as family kill
another goat
eating their source of income
milk
for their neighbours.
She watches
as child cries
to mother for milk.
Mother watches
helplessly starved of
milk production.
She watches
as mother leaves her.
Gone
eighteen hour-journey
for water
she used to provide.
She cries out to Sky
who stretches parallel to her.
She cries out for clouds
to gather to
swell with water
to grow heavy
so heavy
they would give of themselves
to her
saturate her
that water’s molecules
would seek their way
seep deep
draw themselves deep into her
to nurture roots
nurture plants
that plants would seek their way
to surface.
I cry out
I ask of God
Can these dry lands live?
Can these dry lands live?
Since those dry bones lived?
My soul
groans
strains
contorts in prayer
Oh God can these dry lands live
can clouds gather release
that she could drink deep
and her people could drink deep
and there would be relief?
The war continues.
The war that not only displaces people
but withholds grain
from the world’s
hungriest people
interrupting supply.
Ukraine
Provided
30% of grain
to the world’s
hungriest people.
In solidarity
with
her stretched,
strained throat
with her
people
we cry out
we call upon our leaders
for compassion
to remain in compassion.
To let concern, resources
flow beyond self-interest
also to the interests of others.
Others
Is our compassion
as dry as the land?
Our efforts as dry
as the land?
10,000 children dying a day.
Let the dam dam break!
Let the dam dam break!
Let compassion flow as a river
generosity.
Let mercy flow
in finance
in long-term investments
in solutions
that would hold back the impact
of climate change
impacting
those who are most
vulnerable
the most
the most
We pray for change
we sit in the
dust
with
her
we
grieve.