When you have felt hunger and been unable to feed it
It creates a hollow in your insides that never goes away.
Even after the years of without, when you no longer need it
still to feel the hunger… the fear of hunger… someday.
So you buy and store in the pantry and cellar and stack
cases of canned goods on the porch and every room in back.
The kitchen cupboards are buckling their hinges, still
the hollow in your insides compel, Find more crevices to fill!
And to make sure loved ones stay full, never to feel hollow,
hours spent to cook meals today that last till tomorrow.
You make to much for dinner every night
and then save in containers every uneaten bite,
until you’re eating leftovers eight days in a week.
The contents in the freezer are considered antique.
The baked chicken tonight is soup and salad tomorrow
and you’re full till you’re sick but your fullness is hollow.
Then you remember as the scrapings are thrown
that in your youth even the marrow of the bone
was picked and chewed till it had no taste
not even the bone was tossed to waste.
The hollow aches and you hesitate
as into pups dish, you scrape the plate.
Phantom Hunger: age 30
From the blog
About the Author: Sarah B. Royal
Sarah B. Royal’s writing defies convention. Her poetry and prose traverse the boundaries between structure and spontaneity, often weaving together philosophical inquiry, cultural reflection, and personal narrative. With a background in experimental literature, she is known for crafting works that challenge readers to engage intellectually and emotionally.
Her acclaimed palindrome performance play, 777 – A Story of Idol Worship and Murder, showcases her fascination with mirrored storytelling and thematic symmetry. In o x ∞ = ♥: The Poet and The Mathematician, Royal explores the intersection of poetic intuition and mathematical logic, revealing a unique voice that is both analytical and lyrical.
Royal’s collections—such as Lost in the Lost and Found, Haiku For You, Lantern and Tanka Too, and the WoPoLi Chapbook Series—highlight her commitment to neurodivergent expression and poetic experimentation. Whether through childhood verse or contemporary fusion poetry, her work invites readers into a world where language is both a tool and a playground.
Sarah B. Royal continues to expand the possibilities of poetic form, offering readers a deeply personal yet universally resonant experience. Her writing is a testament to the power of creative risk, intellectual depth, and emotional authenticity.
WoPoLi 
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