An infant's cry!

I'm not a vegan, vegetarian, but there are certain meat products that I abhor, though I've never tasted them, nor will I..

A lamb's cry,

"Outside in energising Spring air,
playing with siblings
kicking, prancing, running, dancing,
pretend fighting, who is stronger
new smells, new sounds,
the taste of mother's milk
life an adventure, joyously good..

I hope it's not over before it's begun?"

A piglet's cry,

"I'm one of a suckling litter
our mother lays on her side,
barely moves, but she cares
we hear her grunt and groan,
I want to run free,
frolic and wallow, instead,
from outside world, enclosed, eschewed..

bored and frustrated, life sure ain't much fun!"

A bull calf's cry,

"I miss my mother, where'd she go
once always by my side,
nurturing, licking, grooming
kept me shinning, her diamond,
fed me, played with me, now alas
penned up with others, no mothers,
on straw bed, formula fed, tasteless food..

O' if only I could break out and run?"

I cry,

"One man's meat, another's poison
and whom am I, to beg or differ
but pray, let me ask you this?
Next time you sit down to a dinner
of succulent lamb, pork or veal,
reflect on your youth, a mother's love,
the innocence of childhood, fulsome adulthood..

Knowing tomorrow unlike some, you'll see the rising sun!"

Author's Note

It's a difficult subject I know, folk have to feed their families but there's a limit my friends, a limit!

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

As I have matured in years Tom, I give far more thought these days to what goes on my plate. You see, the more I think about about the sacrifice of animals to feed us, the more uncomfortable I become with it. We don’t eat nearly as much meat as we used to and some is so expensive it restricts. If I ponder enough on this subject, it can make me cry. I listened to a farmer once telling of how cows cry for their calves weeks after being separated from them. He had tears in his eyes. Animals mourn. They have emotions, and that is a killer for me. There is some meat I can’t and won’t eat. I still enjoy a roast now and again, but I can’t allow my mind to wander at the dinner table. A thought provoking write.

[Tom]

Thank you my friend, you've went back to past poems and this one is/was an emotive poem that i penned with much angst, chagrin and heavy heart, still, such is life and like you relatively opine, yes, animals do have feelings/emotions and we as humans must be cognizant and sympathetic to this facts!!

[KWP]

and evolution will continue to roll on ...

we humans still have a big lesson to learn and that is 'know when is enough' that is a fact.

I'm sure you have reports about how plants have feelings too ... they scream when they are cut, a scream we humans cannot hear with our meagre ears. So where do the rules begin and end?

[Tom]

Yes KWP, just when and where do we draw the line?
Thank you my friend for your pertinently penned view, much appreciated!

[Norman 223]

Yes Tom. I agree with you that veal, suckling pig and kid do not appeal to me at all, purely on the basis of texture and taste. Not being a vegetarian, I have tried them, but frankly the experience was as unpalatable as my ,now, moral repugnance.

[Tom]

Thank you Norman for your very considered review!

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

Your touching words are so humane and heartfelt. Personalization of these poor animals is used so well to appeal to the reader on a deep emotional level. Slaughter of the innocents...I applaud you sir!

[Tom]

And I applaud your understanding and welcome words, thank you Annette, someone must give them a voice!