Rice Rises

 Microsoft Copilot:

I From ancient river valleys where soft monsoons fall, rice first unfurled its quiet strength, a gift shaped by patient hands. Across millennia it travelled, bowl to bowl, hearth to hearth, binding distant peoples with the simple promise of nourishment.

II It rose with empires, crossed oceans, settled in every tongue; a grain so small yet mighty enough to steady nations. In feast or famine, in festival or humble daily fare, rice stood as steadfast witness to the stories of our kind.

III Today it feeds the world still — a gentle, generous constant. From terraced hills to city tables, its abundance is shared freely. May we honour the fields and the farmers who coax life from the earth, for in each grain lies a reminder: “What’s past is prologue,” and the future is ours to nourish.

 

DeepSeek:

From muddy banks where rivers run,
Beneath a bright and ancient sun,
A slender stalk began its climb,
To feed the hands of endless time.
A whispered grain, a hopeful seed,
To answer hunger's deepest need.

It journeyed far on trading ships,
Through centuries, from hands to lips,
A patient crop through sun and rain,
That conquers both the joy and pain.
A simple bowl, a steaming pile,
Can make a weary spirit smile.

So praise the grain, both strong and wise,
Beneath the vast and watchful skies.
A gift of earth, a golden sea,
That binds the world's vast family.
In every kernel, life's own call,
A humble, mighty, feast for all.