I wrote this poem in response to the devestating story about live cattle exports from Australia to Indonesia on Four Courners on Monday night. The cruelty was abhorrent and left me traumatised after watching ( I say watching but it was mostly hiding under the covers, blocking my ears so I didn’t have to hear…) This is my response, please be aware it’s not one of my nicer poems.
Like cattle
We line up each day
One by one we file on
Buses, trains and aeroplanes
Our little ticket punched
We sit relaxed
We chatter, we laugh
We’re calm
Until we get to our destination
Of work, school or play
Now imagine
We are cattle
We file on to our transport
Tickets punched
Calmly munching
Then arriving at our destination
Forced into a box
And watch as your fellow
Passenger is tortured
Their head smashed against concrete
Limbs breaking
Screams piercing and echoing
As slowly they are
Broken and killed
And you’re left trembling
With the agonising fear
Of knowing…
You’re next.
Thank you for the award and I nominate
K McGee Poetry.
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we have become so distant from our food…and what it goes through to get to our plate…its grisly…
You’re right. It wasn’t a ‘nice’ poem, but it wasn’t a ‘nice’ subject either.
I do like the way you brought me into the poem, made it more personal.
Sad…..
Wow, this is gruesome! I can still taste some chicken I just ate and suddenly it tastes of punishment and death…
I can wholly empathise with this one –I had written a poem similar to this sometime back-their plight as they await their horrific ends is heart-breaking!
Wonder what they feel about man’s unspeakable cruelties?
Do comment on mine if you find time
Yes, I will never forget the vision of one trembling with fear, as it looked on and the terrified look in their eyes. It was heartbreaking.
A strong one… Love it how you approached the problem, drawing the readers attention and making him/her imagine, almost feel like this cattle…
Well done. I’m glad you posted this.
phenomenal
Ouch, what if we were traveling a journey towards being inhumanly slaughtered? Worthy thought, yet painful. Thanks for sharing and it has been a while since I visited you. This is an eye-opener.
Sorry I miswrote your name when I previously commented.
I understand fully because of my family’s history, nice poet.
Sometimes we must have the courage to say it… Silence and indifference are just forms of acquiescence. Well done!
We should all stop eating meat. Great poem!
WOW! You seriously gave me chills with this one. I thought you were going somewhere else with this poem until I got about half way through and them BAM! Great job, even though I know the subject is a hard one to think about, you have done it justice.
Hard hitting realism, its an awful unnecessary practice – well written
Not sure what the kitty is thinking…
Yes. I am predominantly vegetarian. This is one reason among many. Have you seen the movie Temple Grandin? Man, it was interesting. Really a film that has stuck with me for a long time. She tried to do right by the cattle. She sure as hell tried.
I haven’t seen that movie but I will seek it out… 🙂
haunting,
hard to breathe when blood is shed in front ourselves.
well done.
🙂
Okay, no steak tomorrow … Super job. Liked the comparison.
http://henryclemmonspoet.blogspot.com/2011/06/stray-rays-poets-rally-45.html
I think I have to consider of being a vegetarian.
Good one.
wow violent and gruesome! i love this!
just a thought about this:
just put it this way, what if there was a higher entity besides man and is above the food chain? and suddenly this higher entity loses its respect in man and decides to just slaughter us all for his son’s grand birthday party buffet? how would you feel? if you can put your self in the poultry’s shoes i think you’d be so terrified and become a vegan yourself.
You bring out your point so vividly, I could feel the fear in the mind. And as the last line was read, a shiver came spontaneously. This was well executed. I love it for that!
This is so heart rendering……I wish I could say beautiful words but what I would say is painful words…….Profound emotions perfectly expressed!
Wow it starts off as a simple metaphor and then elaborates into so much more.
Wow! Reminded me of a story ‘the Pendulum’. And very contemporary and connecting content. keep it up.
Puplumages is Purvi 🙂
I am from ~
devastating!!!!
Sad what happens to animals. I see someone else commented relating the story of Temple Grandin, I was going to do the same. It’s an extraordinary look, not only into the cattle industry but also into Autism in general. We do though use this metaphor, we see it a lot, no matter what the walk in life. We feel at times like we’re being led to slaughter. Thankfully it is typically but a metaphor. Not so for the cattle, very sad. Thanks for sharing:)
Awe man! this is horrible! being raised on a dairy farm this made me cry!
i would take naps after school with my cow sandysue. so this ..awe man It hurts to even think it.
the last lines gave me shivers.. i had no clue of this.. and your poetry is expressive..
When I was a kid I watched Faces of Death and it showed cows being slaughtered, it was truly, truly terrible. I know the feeling of being traumatized
I am sorry that such a horrible thing had to be heard by you or anyone. Such a travesty! You honor them by writing about them and the trauma they endured.
So so sad…I can’t imagine
You’ve effectively expressed the horror of that situation, transporting us from the norm to that terrible place.
When the planet gets too crowded to have room for animals, hopefully there will be room for plants. An old sci-fi movie, Soylent Green, with Charlton Heston came to the conclusion that people would become food.
This vegan likes your poem. 🙂
I’m vegan, so this spoke to me, of course. But what I love about your poem is that it’s not just about the cruelty we inflict on animals, but the inhumanity that we inflict on each other. Thanks for this.
Richard
Simply impressive ..
I like the how the emotions flows throughout the poetry
Here’s mine poetry work ..
HAPPY RALLY !! xD
A well expressed poem. I enjoyed reading!
Been out of town (and off my game) so I missed this one. I honestly believe if we all had to watch the process, most of us would be vegetarians. ” Anyway..this was quite a thought provoking piece. Good job. Vb
It might not be your nicer poem but it is awesome. I could feel the fear, I could imagine myself lining up to death. I agree with you. Cruelty with animals is worthy of punishment.
I thank all for commenting, it is heart warming to see that so many feel the same…that cruelty to animals is something society just won’t stand for… thank you !!
I enjoyed reading!
wow – very powerful nice twist