slaughter

dust-fields, the wake of hooves,
of horns on fallow ground, weeds
and thistles up my neck, i thirst
for the bottom of water-barrels,
under the straw-huts, beside trees,
that burn slowly like hot-breath
whispers, that gnarl like old knees,
the damp awaits them, the corral
is a lonely doorway, slinging shut
from the hymnal wind, the lamentation
over flesh and knife, speaking
the slaughtered's language,
proffering psalmic notes,
until the moon shatters into a snarl


 

Reviews

[1]

You somehow managed to caress the butchering............. Great imagery and uncanny story telling!

[highonwords]

this poem sounds to me like a ceremonial/ritual of slaughtering animals - glad the poem spoke to you - thank you for the visit and comment :)

steph

[barleygirl]

Unfortunately, a slaughterhouse is nothing like this graceful pictorial you've painted in words! But still, the message is clear & palpable. I'm continually amazed at your fresh & original expressions . . . plus, I love the vivid word choices you pack into each line. Great share!

[highonwords]

hi margie - i wanted to capture the ambience of a barnyard, with an animal being prepared for butchering and a sort of ceremony going on behind it - like a ritual - thank you for the comment and visit :)

steph

[Mélania Woolf]

Intense. I just love how every line is turned into a living scene, in my head. Loved it

[highonwords]

thank you, mel, for the visit and comment - glad you like the poem :)

steph

[Lyn Anderson]

This poem shows great empathy for animals without resorting to cliche's.

[highonwords]

thank you, kl, for the visit and comment

steph

[Mary Christabel George]

It was happening right in front of my eyes while reading your work. Great write! Gives us an insight that what we enjoy eating had been painful to someone to death.

[highonwords]

thank you so much, mary, for the wonderful visit and comment :)

steph

[Lydia Shutter]

You are very good at describing a scene and then taking us there. Good similes...like "hot-breath whispers" and "gnarl like old knees". Intense writing. Lydi**

[highonwords]

thank you so much, lydia - your words mean a lot to me - glad you like the poem :)

steph

[V]

Great choice of words, somehow your poem seems of a restless temper, leading from one line into the other but the words you used calms it again. Sounds maybe contradictory but this is how I felt while reading it.

[highonwords]

thank you so much, vanessa, for the visit and the review - hope you like the poem :)

steph

[V]

I do like it :)