Give Me Three Grains of corn, Mother

Give Me Three Grains of corn, mother Only three grains of corn; It will keep the little life I have Till the coming of the morn.I am dying of hunger and cold, mother Dying of hunger and cold; And half the agony of such a death My lips have never told. It has gnawed like a wolf at my heart, mother A wolf that is fierce for blood; All the livelong day, and the night beside, Gnawing for lack of food. I dreamed of bread in my sleep, mother And the sight was heaven to see; I awoke with an eager, famishing lip, but you had no bread for me. How could I look to toe, mother how could I look to you For bread to giveto your starving boy, When you were starving too? For I read the famines in your check, And in your eyes so wild, And I felt it in your bony hand As you laid it on your child.