Inspiration in unlikely places

Hey guys!

Today I read a poem for my english class called "To Be of Use" was written by Marge Piercy. The poem reads:

 

The people I love the best

jump into work head first

without dallying in the shallows

and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.

They seem to become natives of that element,

the black sleek heads of seals

bouncing like half-submerged balls.

I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,

who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,

who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward,

who do what has to be done, again and again.

I want to be with people who submerge

in the task, who go into the fields to harvest

and work in a row and pass the bags along,

who are not parlor generals and field deserters

but move in a common rhythm

when the food must come in or the fire be put out.

The work of the world is common as mud.

Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.

But the thing worth doing well done

has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.

Greek amphoras for wine or oil, 

Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums

but you know they were made to be used. 

The pitcher cries for water to carry

and a person for work that is real.

This poem really reminds me of the hard working people who are out there trying their best to fight poverty, food insecurity, illness, and the many other demons that control impoverished nations. These people, especially agriculturalists, work long hours and are often unrecognized by society. Americans especially tend to disregard farmers even though farmers stabilize our lives through the food they produce. Lines 12 and 13 even mentions agriculturalists and the persistence and resilience they have. This poem is praising people who work hard, throw themselves into their jobs, and doing them well, so the agriculturalists deserved their mention in this iconic poem.

"To Be of Use" also makes me think of  The World Food Prize, Keegan, Ambassador Quinn, Lisa, EARTH University professors and staff, and my fellow interns. We are all taking on this arduous task of world hunger and are doing are best to  improve the lives of others even though it often feels like a hopeless task. We're the ones who are willing to pour water into the pitcher and carry it as far as needed. 

The best thing is, we're all tackling food insecurity in our own ways. Before I attended the Global Youth Institute at the Borlaug Dialogue I figured that I'd let someone else take care of world hunger. I just wanted to be a small animal veterinarian and help animals. That all changed when I went out to Iowa and discovered that I can help fight world hunger and help animals. Animal health is extremely important to people in developing countries. If their farm animals aren't healthy, they lose a significant source of income. Veterinarians are important in the fight against hunger and I would not have known that unless I went to the institute. 

I found out that there are several other ways to pitch in and do your part to help others. Lisa and Keegan are a great example! They are in charge of the World Food Prize's youth programs and they do an awesome job! They interact with us kids, spread the word about food insecurity, and seem to have a great time doing it (based on the videos I've seen of them dancing around in their office at 4 am). People who are passionate about education, women's rights, environmental sciences, global policy, animal science, and even business have a place in the fight against hunger. 

It's really interesting to see inspiration pop up in places you don't expect them to be, whether it's a poem or a trip to the Global Youth Institute. Hopefully this blog might inspire at least one person to find out what they can do to make the world a better place using their passions and talents. If one more person stands up and carries a pitcher, the world would improve greatly.

See you soon guys,

Allie