When Bishop Myriel blessed Jean Valjean,
gave him the silver candlesticks
of liberty, equality, fraternity,
it was the single loaf of bread
which cost nineteen years
in a wretched prison,
Valjean stealing it for his sister
and her seven starving children,
moved the Bishop’s heart.
In France, the poor gnawed coarse
black bread, mixed with sawdust and bark
while the rich ate soft white bread,
and it was fancy cake that tumbled
the arrogant, pretty head of Marie.
Once, I discovered a law in Paris
allowed any indigent soul
to take a loaf of bread without penalty,
a tribute to Valjean and the Miserables.
Stark contrast to our country where our leader
tries to end school lunches and food stamps
as he devours the cake of greed and corruption.
Do we need another Hugo to pen this misery,
inspired by a man he saw dragged
away without ceremony for one stolen loaf?
We’ve not learned in three centuries
to bake mercy into the staff of life.
Originally published by Young Raven's Review