Without Thought or Heart

why I ask would anyone steal
a two months old donkey
away from its mother’s nurture

away from the safety of its
surroundings and the supply of
milk essential for a life

leaving behind a much distressed
mare clearly suffering and
traumatized by her grief

unable to eat or enjoy the
spring sunshine on a day that
children too will be disappointed

that the little star of their visit
has disappeared without trace
and cast a shadow of sadness

on the knowledge that without
the nutrients from maternal milk
the foal’s survival is threatened

it’s little heart will cease to beat
a life hardly started will stop
not that a heartless thief will care

not that they have a brain to think
or a conscience to prick them
they simply do not care a jot

Reviews

[Ayvid N]

My heart winces for the baby and for the mother. This is pain in the truest sense. Your words remind us how cruel this world can be and how much we are needed to reach out and make a difference whenever we can. This poem hits all the right places, dear Chris and though it hurts, it must be written about, read and discussed. Kudos!

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you dear Divya. Yes it is a poem that hurts anyone with a heart. A reminder that the world we live in is cruel when babies are taken from mothers. So good to have you back dear friend. 🌺

Chris

[Ayvid N]

I'm thrilled to be back. Have a great day, my friend.

[Relic]

This world is full of injustice and cruelty. The older I get, the more I see it and the more I shake my head. Some people are born with no empathy.

[Chris Shaw]

Hello Tim. I appreciate you stopping by. Long time no see. Hope you are keeping well.

Chris

[Relic]

I'm doing my best. Life is hard, but I guess you pretty much know that. :)

[Chris Shaw]

Hang in there. Yes life can be very hard at times. You are still grieving. Take care.

[zeronineight]

It's heartbreaking to think that something like this could truly happen. I hope the foal survived. I hope the mother and their caretakers are managing.

This makes me think about the empathy you must have to feel so strongly for the foal and its mother. Thank you for sharing the heart-wrenching image this piece brings.

[Chris Shaw]

I am delighted to say, the foal was retrieved and returned to its mother by the police, a couple of weeks after it was stolen. Lovely to have a take which ends well. Thank you so much for your visit and thoughts.

Chris

[red93]

At one of my childhood homes, there were donkeys in a field nearby - such gentle lovely animals - very moving this one Chris - poor little mite.

[Chris Shaw]

Good morning Tony. Thanks so much for your review. Donkeys are lovely creatures. Have a great day.

Chris

[Coyote Poetry]

A mother love is forever dear Chris.
"it’s little heart will cease to beat
a life hardly started will stop
not that a heartless thief will care"
A broken hearten woman, cannot forget the face of their child. Thank you dear friend for sharing the amazing poetry and your thoughts.
Coyote

[Chris Shaw]

A mother’s love is forever, so right Coyote. How heartless some people can be. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Chris

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome dear Chris.

[Akinlolu]

Selfishness affects all.
It's an old story that plays itself out everyday...in every city, nation and continent.
Your poem is a large screen plasma T.V. I must say I enjoyed watching your moving pictures but they leave me with plenty on my mind

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you so much for another welcome review today, Akinlolu. Sadly yes, a universal theme. This selfish and cruel behavior plays out in many places. Have a great day.

Chris

[Lisasview]

Wow, I just read E.P.'s extensive review on your poem and I am in awe!!
He really says it all..
Your poem really reveals what happens in so many avenues of life...so sad.
Lisa

[Chris Shaw]

Thanks Lisa, yes EP Robles has kindly given me three extensive reviews of three of my poems. I just write, he analyses and finds stuff I never thought of. Remarkable to see your own work in a different light completely. Thank you fir checking in.

Chris

[E.P. Robles]

The poem begins with a profound question, "Why would anyone steal a two-month-old donkey away from its mother's nurture?"

This question raises deeper existential inquiries into the motives and actions of individuals. It suggests a lack of empathy and a disregard for the natural order of life.

You emphasize the importance of the donkey's connection to its mother, depicting it as a source of safety, nurture, and essential sustenance.

By separating the donkey from its mother, the thief disrupts the natural bond and causes distress not only to the donkey but also to the grieving mare.

This portrayal of the mare suffering and traumatized by her grief evokes a sense of sorrow and empathy for the animals involved.

The poem extends its emotional impact by highlighting the effect of this act on the surrounding environment.

The children who anticipated the joy of seeing the young donkey are disappointed, and a shadow of sadness is cast upon their experience. This reveals the ripple effect of such heartless actions, extending beyond the immediate victims to affect the broader community.

The poet contemplates the dire consequences for the stolen foal, emphasizing the importance of maternal milk and the nutrients it provides for its survival. The imagery of the foal's little heart ceasing to beat and a life barely begun coming to a premature end underscores the fragility and vulnerability of existence.

It also raises questions about the responsibility of the thief, who callously disregards the potential loss of life.

Drawing upon Carl Jung's ideas, we can delve deeper into the psychological aspects of this poem.

Jung believed that the collective unconscious, a repository of archetypes and shared human experiences, influences our thoughts and actions.

The heartless thief represents an aspect of the shadow archetype, embodying a lack of empathy and moral conscience. This figure is disconnected from the collective unconscious, unable to recognize the interconnectedness of all life.

In conclusion, this poem, analyzed through the influence by Carl Jung's perspective, highlights the cruelty of stealing a young donkey from its mother. It explores themes of empathy, the disruption of natural bonds, the ripple effect of heartless acts, and the fragile nature of life. By incorporating Jungian ideas, we gain a deeper understanding of the psychological dimensions of the poem and the absence of conscience exhibited by the heartless thief.

I so deeply appreciated this unique poem. And it gave me greater insight into human nature.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you so much for this extensive review. I thought your time here was done.

Chris

[E.P. Robles]

I thought so too. But there have been some who have friended me. I find them fascinating. And they have really nice prose.

[Chris Shaw]

:) ………………………….

[carl]

"...if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?" couldn't help but reference this to situations occurring currently not to animals ( that in itself is deplorable) but to moms and their children in desperate places around our world. Probably not your intention but just where my heart took me. - carl

[Chris Shaw]

Happy to know where your heart took you Carl. Thanks so much for stopping by. All the best.

Chris

[Ken Simm.]

To call some 'people' animals is an insult to the animal. As here it is the animal memorialised not the dirt that took him. And this is from a horse lover. Splendid and righteous.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Ken. It beggar’s belief the cruelty of some people. This is not too far from where we live and has generated a huge amount of upset. A large reward has been offered for info. I doubt we will see that foal
again :(

Chris