The poem "Hello Dining Reform" is an imitation of the poem "Good Morning Revolution", a selected work by Langston Hughes.
Both poems can be read in conjunction with one another below:
Both poems can be read in conjunction with one another below:
Good Morning Revolution
Good morning Revolution: You are the best friend I ever had. We gonna pal around together from now on. Say, listen, Revolution: You know the boss where I used to work, The guy that gimme the air to cut expenses, He wrote a long letter to the papers about you: Said you was a trouble maker, a alien-enemy, In other words a son-of-a-bitch. He called up the police And told’em to watch out for a guy Named Revolution You see, The boss knows you are my friend. He sees us hanging out together He knows we’re hungry and ragged, And ain’t got a damn thing in this world – And are gonna to do something about it. The boss got all his needs, certainly, Eats swell, Owns a lotta houses, Goes vacationin’, Breaks strikes, Runs politics, bribes police Pays off congress And struts all over earth – But me, I ain’t never had enough to eat. Me, I ain’t never been warm in winter. Me, I ain’t never known security – All my life, been livin’ hand to mouth Hand to mouth. Listen, Revolution, We’re buddies, see – Together, We can take everything: Factories, arsenals, houses, ships, Railroads, forests, fields, orchards, Bus lines, telegraphs, radios, (Jesus! Raise hell with radios!) Steel mills, coal mines, oil wells, gas, All the tools of production. (Great day in the morning!) Everything – And turn’em over to the people who work. Rule and run’em for us people who work. Boy! Them radios! Broadcasting that very first morning to USSR: Another member of the International Soviet’s done come Greetings to the Socialist Soviet Republics Hey you rising workers everywhere greetings – And we’ll sign it: Germany Sign it: China Sign it: Africa Sign it: Italy Sign it: America Sign it with my one name: Worker On that day when no one will be hungry, cold oppressed, Anywhere in the world again. That’s our job! I been starvin’ too long Ain’t you? Let’s go, Revolution! |
Hello Dining Reform
Hello Dining Reform: You are the best friend I ever had. We are gonna be pals from now on. Say, listen, Reform: You know the dining hall where I am forced to eat, The one that detracts from students to cut expenses, It spoke to the college about you: Said you were a trouble maker, an enemy, In other words a nuisance, complicating things He called up the dining heads And told’em to watch out for a guy Named Reform You see, The dean knows you are my friend. He sees us hanging out together He knows we’re stressed out and sleep deprived And don't have much say on this campus And are going to do something about it. The college authorities are pleased, certainly, Sleep well, Get the nourishment they need, Go vacationing, Cook the meals they desire, Spend what they can afford to spend, Charge students what they would benefit to charge, And strut all over campus - But me, I've never had a decent variety of choices to eat. Me, I've never felt encouraged to eat healthier Me, I've never paid a reasonable amount for my meal plan, All my first year, been eating dangerously Too dangerously to maintain good health. Listen, Dining Reform, We’re buddies, see - Together We can take everything Flyers, banners, Televisions, computers, Classrooms, dorms, Libraries, quads, Dining halls, meal plans, All channels of communication on campus. Everything - And turn ‘em over to the students Run’em for us students who need our voices heard. Jeez! Those meal plans! Give helpless freshmen only one choice: Thousands of dollars per year, unlimited swipes But this option really “unlimited"? The options only seem limited to me Greetings to Obesity, welcome Freshman 15 Hey you college students everywhere, greetings! - And we’ll sign it: UCLA Sign it: University of Michigan Sign it: Tulane Sign it: Emory Sign it with my one name: Freshman On that day when no one will be malnourished, deprived, On any college campus again. That’s our job! I've been neglected too long, Haven't you? Let’s go, Reform! |