For the last eight years, the African American Student Alliance has collaborated with several Kennesaw State University student organizations to raise funds for the “Feed the Future” initiative which provides food and other resources for students who are experiencing financial difficulty.

 

 

The event will be held in tandem with the Giving Feast Fundraiser Luncheon on Thursday, November 21, 2013 at 12:30PM in the University Rooms.  The luncheon will be catered by KSU Catering and served by supervised, student volunteers.  During this years event music will be rendered by the KSU Gospel Choir, as has been for the last eight years.  Additionally, the KSU Brass Quartet, the KSU Dance Company and actors from the spring semester play, “Ruined,” will be performing during this event.

 

 

Because I am on the editorial board for the Kennesaw State University student art and literary magazine, Share, I was asked to compose a poem to perform at the luncheon. The following is the poem I wrote, and I will add video, music and photos to the final project for Thursday. Feel free to come out and support the charity, and me.

Feeding the Floor

 

I hear the Cheerios tumble, fall and roll away to where the vacuum can’t reach them.

Looking away from Facebook posts, where

friends share what they’re thankful for,

I watch my children waste food.

 

 

Thinking about thankfulness, I feel fortunate for my full belly

and guilty for not giving back; doubting the downtrodden.

My cynicism keeps quarters in my pocket as my mouth stretches truths into lies: “Sorry, I don’t have any change,” I say quieting my pocket, walking by homeless.

 

 

Like the lady begging outside Philips Arena, who sat on a crowded corner as concert goers passed by. She had three children with her, who tried to keep their dirty faces warm in shirt collars while the wind and I walked by.

 

 

Sometimes I feel like I’m feeding the floor.

We don’t have a dog, but the scraps still scurry out of sight

when my toddlers eat what they do and dump what they don’t like.

 

 

Feast your eyes at the food on the floor

 

 

Guilt mounts in my mind as I hear my mom’s voice,

“Children are starving in China, you know.”

And I reward my kids’ eating their fill with…more food.

 

 

I’m most thankful for my family,

Inside whose tiny eyes, I can see God’s grace.

He entrusted two souls into my care, believing I could afford to feed them.

 

 

So, though the food drops to the floor,

sometimes tossed but often dropped,

I appreciate my ability to sacrifice by staying home,

pinching pennies and choosing charities carefully.

 

 

I’m feeding the future every time I fill my kids’ plates,

teaching them to pick up where they left off

and always to clean up the food that they drop

that I may see healthy reflections from my satisfied floor.