The Daily Poem

Distribution: 3 Printed in Urbana FREE

AP [associated poets] AMMAN, Jordan --

On Jan, 17, 1991, ferocious allied air raids launched a U.S.-led offensive to drive Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait -- and, some hoped, out of power. But while the Iraqi leader has proved to be a stubborn survivor, the 20 million Iraqi people are becoming poorer and hungrier. On street corners in Baghdad, children beg for money. Hospitals and aid agencies report thousands of cases of malnutrition where none existed before the war.

A ferocious raid,
offensive, out of
power, has
a survivor: the 20 million Iraqi people, poorer and hungrier. Street corners in Baghdad
beg for
hospitals and sort thousands of cases of malnutrition. Here none exist for the war.