Noah's Barge Of Horrors
Animals I have known and animals I'm still getting to know.
I have given up snacking on my Animal Crackers.
Goldfish Cheddar too, they bring me down.
Long ago I moved on from my Lucky Charms
and Flintstone vitamins.
I’m no god-damn cannibal.
It pains me each morning to sweep
all the ants on the counter
into the sink
then to stand there
waiting for my coffee
watching them drown.
Mosquitoes, I say a prayer
before I hit ‘em.
I’m not that far gone.
But I’m getting there …
Octopi recognize human faces,
and suffer pain
but we boil them.
Sea urchins don’t even
get that much respect.
We just gobble up their
200 years of life
here on earth,
in one greedy gulp.
I’ve sat and stuffed myself
on freshly fished
and filleted mahi-mahi
but we now know they
grieve and understand the
loss of not just their own
but ourselves too.
Elephants shed tears and
mourn for those that die
but we are slaughtering them,
cutting off their teeth
without anesthetic,
and one day soon
they’ll be gone
along with those speaking whales
and they’ve never eaten, killed
or discussed anything
with any of us.
I used to live in the suburbs
and one day threw a rock
at an always squawking crow.
After that, each morning
I came out to a
car windshield full of crap.
Always my side, not
my wife’s side.
Bird-brained, my ass.
Getting even is universal.
All creatures have more in common
with me, with you, with us
than they don’t.
Yet, we don’t want to recognize that.
Appearances truly are deceiving.
Animals know what is going on.
Our evil intentions and too
our rare love.
I want to apologize to
that toad that killed my dog.
I’ve done far worse killing
and eating animals
that I now know,
cry and feel
and dream of tomorrows.
I’m getting there.
Though, I still
haven’t abandoned
my weekly steak
rationalizing that
all things are alive and
hell, we don’t hesitate
with grass, grains or grapes,
cutting them up
munching on them
and ending their
allotted time on earth
while they silently scream.
Like I said,
I’m getting there.
I’m going to give those mosquitoes
a night reprieve and I’ll
review my logic
in the morning.
Tonight is steak night.
What a fascinating poem. In Islam, we have sth called Halal and Haraam for animals who have been killed in a holy way and eating their meat is OK. For instance, chicken, cow, fishes, shrimps, and ostrich and some others are considered Halal but i'd love to try pork, reindeer and other animals' meats as well.