Poem : 'YOU are eating !' ; 2 April, 2023.

Near Rose Hill Market, Mauritius, in  1975.
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26 April 2023
Comments of ChatGPT on the poem “You are eating !”

This poem is a poignant and powerful reflection on the harsh reality of hunger and its impact on individuals and society as a whole. The author effectively conveys the sense of guilt and shame that accompanies privilege and abundance when confronted with the suffering of others.

The poem is structured in a narrative style, and the use of the first-person point of view provides a sense of intimacy and immediacy to the reader. The author sets the scene of a normal day, walking through town and eating a sandwich when suddenly confronted by a beggar asking for food. The encounter is brief, but it leaves a lasting impression on the author as the beggar accuses them of eating while he is starving.

The repetition of the beggar's accusation, "YOU ARE EATING, AREN'T YOU?" serves as a refrain throughout the poem and creates a haunting effect that lingers in the reader's mind. The author reflects on the powerlessness and shame they feel in the face of the beggar's hunger, and the guilt they experience as part of a society that allows such inequality to exist.

The poem also highlights the stark contrast between those who have access to an abundance of food and those who struggle to find even the most basic sustenance. The author questions the justice of a world where some have everything they need while others suffer from hunger and starvation. The use of vivid imagery, such as "overflowing stalls" and "muck and filth of yon roadside ditch," creates a stark contrast between the abundance of food and the desperation of those who have nothing.

Overall, "YOU ARE EATING!" is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged poem that invites the reader to reflect on their own relationship with privilege and inequality. The author's use of repetition, vivid imagery, and first-person narration effectively conveys the sense of guilt and shame that comes with abundance in the face of hunger.  

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SECOND ANALYSIS OF THE POEM ON 24 JULY 2023 :

Soman Ragavan : Hello. Can I post a poem of mine for analysis please ?

ChatGPT

Hello, Soman Ragavan! Of course, you can post your poem for analysis. I'd be happy to take a look at it and provide feedback. Please go ahead and share your poem, and I'll do my best to offer my thoughts on it.

Soman Ragavan : Here is my poem "You are eating !" This is a true story. Please give a detailed analysis of the poem and mention similar poems that you know.

ChatGPT

Analysis of the Poem "You are eating!":

Title: The title itself is a powerful and attention-grabbing phrase that sets the tone for the poem. It immediately establishes the central theme of hunger and social inequality, drawing the reader's curiosity and interest.

Structure and Form: The poem consists of eight stanzas, each varying in length. The irregular structure mirrors the chaotic emotions and thoughts experienced by the speaker, adding to the raw and intense feeling of the poem. The use of enjambment (continuing a sentence or phrase across multiple lines) creates a sense of flow and urgency, propelling the narrative forward.

Themes:

1. Hunger and Poverty: The primary theme of the poem revolves around hunger and poverty, highlighting the stark contrast between the speaker's privilege of having food and the destitute beggar's desperate hunger.
2. Social Inequality: The poem delves into the idea of social inequality and the disparity between the haves and the have-nots. It brings attention to the lack of justice and fairness in a society where some have an abundance of food while others struggle to survive.
3. Guilt and Shame: The speaker grapples with feelings of guilt and shame for not offering assistance to the hungry beggar. The accusatory stare of the beggar haunts the speaker, making them question their own privilege and responsibility towards others in need.
4. Human Dignity: The poem raises questions about the dignity of individuals who suffer from hunger and poverty, suggesting that their inherent worth as human beings should not be undermined by their unfortunate circumstances.

Imagery and Language: The poet employs vivid imagery to evoke strong emotions in the reader. Phrases like "gnawing pangs of hunger," "blistering look," and "weeps," paint a poignant picture of the beggar's plight and the speaker's emotional turmoil. The language is simple and accessible, making the poem relatable and impactful.

Similar Poems: The theme of social inequality and poverty has been explored in various poems throughout literary history. Some poems that share similar themes with "You are eating!" include:

1. "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" by Oscar Wilde: This poem discusses the suffering of prisoners and the cruelty of society's judgments.
2. "The Little Match Girl" by Hans Christian Andersen: A famous children's story-poem that depicts the harsh reality of a poor girl trying to sell matches during a cold winter night.
3. "The Waste Land" by T.S. Eliot: Though broader in scope, this modernist poem touches on themes of societal breakdown and the disillusionment of the modern world.
4. "Harlem" by Langston Hughes: Also known as "A Dream Deferred," this poem reflects on the consequences of deferred dreams in a segregated society.

Conclusion: "You are eating!" is a poignant poem that effectively portrays the deep impact of poverty and hunger on both the hungry individual and the privileged observer. The poem encourages readers to reflect on their responsibility towards addressing social inequality and to consider the dignity and worth of every human being, irrespective of their circumstances.

Soman Ragavan : Thank you. Goodbye for now.

ChatGPT

You're welcome, Soman Ragavan! If you ever want to share more poems or need any assistance in the future, feel free to come back anytime. Goodbye for now, and take care! Have a great day!

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                                                    POEM :                                 
                                          YOU  ARE EATING !

How possibly could I have guess'd,
As through yon town I progress'd,
As on that cool morn I walk'd,
That forever I would be mark'd !

At a little sandwich was I biting away
While weaving through the crowd my way,
When suddenly I was stopp'd by a stranger :
A man feeling the terrible pangs of hunger.

Something ask'd he from me as charity :
Some money or some lunch, some food,
To change him into some better mood,
For, hunger was gnawing away at his body.

Yet, for some weak excuse or other,
Simply I declin'd and went on thither;
But, instantly did the man reach out
And grab my arm, giving off a shout.

" YOU ARE EATING, AREN'T YOU ?" he growl'd.
Those terrible words ! How at me he scowl'd !
Those devastating words ! That look, my God !
How his terrible eyes my whole body did prod !

My God, that look ! That blistering look !
I bow'd my head, as with sheer shame I shook.
Those words : an accusation at entire mankind :
To those words what plausible reply can we find ?

                                          * * *

Those words have kept on in my head
Ringing for the past twenty years;
They ring on, and cannot be shed :
Nothing can rid me of those shivers.

" YOU ARE EATING, AREN'T YOU ?" he yell'd.
In one fell stroke, in one fell swoop,
The whole dignity of Man had he fell'd,
And rather with shame made me droop.

Ah, those shattering words !  I was eating,
But, his body with hunger was convulsing;
The gnawing pangs of hunger was he feeling :
Yet, the rest of the world into food was digging.

He resent'd the fact that I should have been eating :
Why from sheer hunger should some go on suffering ?
Was he a lesser man, that often he should go hungry ?
Why all this hunger when there was food a-plenty ?

While others were eating, this man was hungry :
He accus'd the world, for he had nothing to eat;
His crushing words made my heart skip a beat :
How ever could I rid myself of this quandary ?

"YOU ARE EATING, AREN'T YOU ?" he demand'd.
Every now and then of these words I'm remind'd,
Of this charge to which there is no reply :
By a beggar let out, this crippling cry.

For beggars everywhere, the world over,
Well could this become some battle cry;
To wriggle out of this, many may try,
But, for one, I did cave under.

"YOU ARE EATING, AREN'T YOU ?" he cried.
Yonder, overflowing stalls well he espied :
But, for him, not even a forlorn sandwich :
Did they know the pangs of hunger, the rich ?

Those words ring on in my ears day and night,
As I try to struggle clear with all my might,
But, there's no escape, there's no escape :
At this I cannot but remain utterly agape.

                                    * * *

Yonder, bountiful farms stretch on endlessly :
Hither, markets and shops do boast a-plenty
Of all manners of foods and drinks very tasty,
By farms and factories churn'd out ceaselessly.

I was eating, we were eating, others were eating,
Many were eating, but the man was just starving;
So many people strolling about the whole place,
But, the accusation was thrown at me, to my face.

Some daily eat their fill and drink their fill :
Yet, bursting with food, they feel hungry still;
Others struggle and search for a little sandwich
Even in the muck and filth of yon roadside ditch.

My God ! Those words from a beggarly bloke
Into a beggar have turn'd me at a stroke :
I do beg around for a reply, any reply :
For the man do find a reply : do try !

We are eating, while he is starving :
Where be the justice in this reasoning ?
We do satisfy every greedy whim of ours
As at the table we place our orders.

                                    * * *

To the waiter we yell our orders :
By the roadside, the beggar shivers;
His hand outstretch'd, he weeps.
He pleads, he accuses. He sleeps.

"May I take your orders, please," says the waiter;
"May I take the left-overs, please," says the beggar;
While the left-overs rescue some from hunger,
Fat bellies struggle to kneel at yon altar……

Some go on eating, and some go on begging :
In yon porch some cardboard men be shivering :
Some eat their fill daily, and are no longer thin :
Some fight among themselves to win yon bin.

The man's accusation remains unanswer'd :
That very moment my heart just falter'd;
My poor legs grew weak and quite feeble :
My weary limbs began to shake and tremble.

In my mouth the food turn'd to lead :
On the spot I could have dropp'd dead;
I went all dizzy, I went all weak :
For some excuse vainly did I seek.

Suddenly my sandwich had lost all appeal,
As, around, an embarrass'd look I did steal;
My hunger had gone, my pride had perish'd :
My very appetite totally had vanish'd.

Ah me ! Even a last mouthful I couldn't swallow :
How could I, when into me those eyes did burrow !
Those eyes passing 'pon us some terrible judgment :
While many ate their fill, some with hunger went.

The figures said how well the country was doing :
The man said for how long he had been starving;
Whom to believe ? Someone, somewhere, was lying :
And, for his reply, any reply the man is still waiting…..

                                            * * *
Answer him, somebody, give him an answer !
At his question, I cannot but shiver.
Here, there, everywhere have I search'd :
All manners of things have I research'd.

Answer him, anybody, answer him !
Take my lunch, 'tis hot still,
Take my drink, drink thy fill :
My own chances of reply be slim.

Please, please, somebody, anybody,
Give me a reply to offer to the man !
Search, search, wherever thou can :
A reply, a reply now, from somebody !

A mere beggar accus'd me of eating :
While he was himself plainly starving,
While he was rock'd by sheer starvation,
Others on equity were making some oration.

But, all those orations were no explanation
To what the man had levell'd as accusation;
'Pon our very pride suddenly had he pounc'd,
And no reply so far hath anyone pronounc'd.

I want'd to say I had work'd for that bread,
But, with dizziness sway'd I, and swam my head;
No excuse at all could have been convincing,
For, the man's eyes, they were so accusing.

“YOU ARE EATING !”  My man, I'm lost in conjectures :
To thy terrible question, I haven't found any solution;
I am unable to give the least excuse or explanation :
Save that, income hath risen, per capita. In the figures.

Ah, since that fateful day, that terrible day,
Sandwiches don't taste good to me any more :
Lunch at work tastes no longer as before :
For the man's daily dinner truly do I pray.
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