Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE HUNGRY ONE, by NIKOLAY ALEXEYEVICH NEKRASOV


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE HUNGRY ONE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: The peasant stands
Last Line: "I will not share."
Alternate Author Name(s): Nekrasov, N. A.
Subject(s): Hunger


THE peasant stands
With haggard gaze,
He pants for breath,
He reels and sways;

From famine food,
From bread of bark,
His form has swelled,
His face is dark.

Through endless grief
Suppressed and dumb
His eyes are glazed,
His soul is numb.

As though in sleep,
With footsteps slow,
He creeps to where
The rye doth grow.

Upon his field
He gazes long,
He stands and sings
A voiceless song:

"Grow ripe, grow ripe,
O Mother Rye,
I fostered thee,
Thy lord am I.

"Yield me a loaf
Of monstrous girth,
A cake as vast
As Mother Earth.

"I'll eat the whole --
No crumb I'll spare;
With wife, with child,
I will not share."





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