The grain of rice that sits on my plate
Had come from a deeper fate
It was offered with love from a family today
It was cooked in its own special way
Before that, it was in a bag placed in a market’s rack
Before that in a factory – neatly separated in each sack
Before that, it was in a farmer’s field
Where crops were planted and getting ready to yield
Before that, they were mere seedlings sown on the ground one by one with enough space all around
And it was only the grace of the rays of the sun
And the rain that drops from the rivers that run
And the wind that blows and nurtures their strength
And patience, time and Mother Nature’s consent
What brings this grain of rice on my plate one may ask
When one thinks deeply, it’s such a wonderful task
From the forces of nature to the giving hands of many
To the farmers, markets and our own families
But mostly it comes from the grace of the Divine
With this in mind, may I always dine
This is what makes food whole
When I nourish not only my body but offer gratitude with my soul
At His Feet,
Shubhani Chaitanya