Home » Poems » Hi-Dong Chai » Spoonful of Rice

Spoonful of Rice

(This is a universal story of mother’s sacrifice for their children, be it material, emotional, or intellectual.)


It was during the Korean War
Father was taken away by the Communists
Months ago
He never returned

Mother and I were left alone
In an island as refugees
Without anyone supporting us

One day
Mother brought a cup of rice
For me to eat
Only three spoonful
In the cup

I gobbled it up
Without much thought
Feeling still hungry

Mother took the cup in the kitchen
Closed the door

Through a crack
I saw Mother scraping
Scraping the bottom of the cup
For a few grains left
She licked the spoon over and over

How long has she been hungry
To feed me?
I froze
Really froze

I quietly left the room
To a beach nearby
Looking at the horizon
Where ocean met the sky
Far far away

Wanting to swim
Toward it
Until my strength
Sapped to nil
So that Mother didn't have to
Feed another mouth

Then a question surfaced
Will she be happy without me
So she can feed herself?

No way
Was my answer
She has already lost
Many of her loved ones
Without me
She will not go on living

I stood
With my heart filled with
Opposing forces
Resumed my walk
Toward Mother

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Ann Foster

Date: 10/4/2019 2:33:00 PM

This is one of the most beautiful poems, I have ever read. Ann

Hi-Dong Chai
Date: 10/4/2019 5:39:00 PM

Love of my mother has sustained with through my years. If you like to see her face, please go to Amazon: books by Hi-Dong Chai. One of my books has her face as the book cover

Darlene De Beaulieu

Date: 9/7/2019 5:31:00 PM

Hello Hi-Dong Chai, your mother did the best for you during those rough times. Like many mothers of other children. Have a nice evening my friend.

Darlene De Beaulieu
Date: 9/10/2019 1:02:00 PM

Hello my friend. you are so welcome. have a nice day.

Hi-Dong Chai
Date: 9/7/2019 10:03:00 PM

Thank you.

Quoth Theraven

Date: 9/6/2019 10:37:00 AM

Hi-Dong, I like this poem. More and more as fine wine properly breathed. An inspiring write, by an honorable soul, who lives an honorable life. -Richard

Hi-Dong Chai
Date: 9/6/2019 10:52:00 AM

Thank you.

Gregory Richard Barden

Date: 8/12/2019 6:20:00 AM

Wonderful write, with the simple truth and power of selflessness and sacrifice ... adding to my favorites, and sharing with family. Powerful - thank you for letting us in. Blessings!

Hi-Dong Chai
Date: 9/4/2019 10:23:00 AM

I feel so fortunate to have mother like mine. She reached out to everyone with love and grace.

Caren Krutsinger

Date: 8/11/2019 6:09:00 PM

Wonderful poem about a moment that has changed your life for the good.

Emile Pinet

Date: 8/11/2019 10:29:00 AM

How you express yourself is what makes your poetry input unique and qualifies it as art. A heartfelt poem that gives us a peek at your heart and a glimpse of your soul my friend, Emile.

Hi-Dong Chai
Date: 8/12/2019 10:57:00 AM

Thank you for your kind words. I started writing poetry several months ago to share what are in my heart. I will keep writing poems until I am called Home.

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 8/11/2019 9:29:00 AM

what an amazingly heartfelt write. Very moving. Welcome to Soup.

Hi-Dong Chai
Date: 8/12/2019 10:58:00 AM

Thank you for your kind words.

Xuefeng Pan

Date: 8/11/2019 8:45:00 AM

I can understand your feeling, as we were neighbors, I was in China at the moment you mentioned. Something happened will leave a warning message to the successive ones. This was very unfortunate indeed!