#1542 - I must eat fewer of my fellow creatures

 

1542

5.81

21.iii.24

I must eat fewer of my fellow creatures

 

at the Court of Karma

you must imagine

(border of Forever

River of the Milk of Kindness

run drought dry)

 

we have passports ready

little bribes tucked inside

make no difference

 

hundreds of chickens severe

on the bench

and they don the black cloth comb each

peck a little absently

 

&

some cattle

then some sheep

the pigs, the ducks

the geese less liver

 

they bear the scales blind

each a death’s head too

 

the bear taunted for bile

elephants de-tusked

the whole procession

 

you must picture it

because there’s nonesuch

 

give them voices

hear these hearts

once kept time with the world

 

the slaves for life

the sudden hunted

 

oceans of feeling fish

 

it’s your duty to imagine

 

the ceremony is for you –

you’re the star

and mount the scaffold

 

they’re pronouncing the sentence

each never received

 

because theirs was summary, industrial  

 

you have your moment though

 

they are

requiting all our loves