Day 12-14: "Acute"

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Today's theme: "Acute".
UNICEF recently reported the efficacy of the work they did after the Haiti earthquake,
with money raised through donations. Read the report.

My fitness challenge: My goal is to do 3 x 30 supported pull-ups at Level 1 by 30th January 2015. And to write a poem everyday.

My progress: This entry is for the 12th (I walked 4 km), the 13th (I worked out at the gym) and the 14th (I did hard physical labour around the house and did a 15 minute bike ride). This has allowed my shoulders to recover, ready for more work at the gym tomorrow.

Reflection: Sometimes cynicism exists about the impact of fundraising by NGOs on the lives of those the funds are meant to help. It's good therefore to read outcomes based reports from organisations like UNICEF to show how moneys raised change the lives of those they are meant to help. 

Poems.

12th January 2015:

Acute

behind the door

a mathematician

carves fine lines,

perfecting Division.

tasting Subtraction.

Yum. Saliva on chin.

He's never been hungry

Not even in dreams,

and when he comes out

Boo! the children scream.

Merilyn Childs 12th January 2015

[This poem is in response to cuts made to foreign aid by the Australian Abbott Liberal Government of AU$3 billion over 3 years on 15th December 2014]

13th January 2015:

acute

/əˈkjuːt/

intense, deep, sharp.

//pain//pain*

in the depths of where you died.

Merilyn Childs, 13th January 2015

[Sometimes even years after the loss of a child, living is like drowning in thick treacle.]

14th January 2015

acute

I'm not a story teller baby,

But I want to tell you this:

They have no idea

the knife will kill you.

They've waited for you

smiling, fearful, hungry.

They sing to you

as the cut is made.

Merilyn Childs, 14th January 2015

[This poem was written to reflect the fact that "Newborn sepsis is responsible for over 500,000 of the 3.1m newborn deaths globally. The infection is usually transmitted when the umbilical cord is removed with unsterilised materials. Applying a basic antiseptic which cost less than $1 helps to stop infections. This action reduces mortality by 23%" (Olagunju, 2014)]