Susan Woodrow Poet Terza Rima

Thirty Something

The first was a wee bird 
How clear the glass 
Its thud was loudly heard 
Rendered it to the earthen grass…
The second was the pig, squealing 
Yielding its life in a blood-letting, crass 
Still heard inside, the porky-pealing…

Swollen turtle mommy was to shed 
Ocean tears before her eggs boiled - unappealing 
Mealy-mouthed slurping of yolk-sloppy dread 
Even now, such distaste, recoils… 
The chicken heads chopped-dead 
Headless guillotine shudders, roil  
In an abrupt death paroxysm 
Next, after panic-eyed goats, humans
Gunning for the body-soul schism…

(1/8/2020 Inspired by the contest: how death has affected you
Regal 2001 Commodore 2960; DMS)

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Richard Lamoureux January 17, 2020 at 12:07 PM Much to ponder. Susan Woodrow January 17, 2020 at 12:38 PM thank you :)

Kim Rodrigues January 15, 2020 at 9:33 AM Fantastic write, Susan! Great imagery and profound! Susan Woodrow January 15, 2020 at 9:41 AM thank you, Kim :)

Andrea Dietrich January 12, 2020 at 2:55 PM I like this one better because I prefer red meat well cooked the best of all (from Deuteronomy):. “You shall not eat any abomination. These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. ... I do have to say: it's sinful to kill animals cruelly and for pleasure. Susan Woodrow January 12, 2020 at 9:49 PM Not sure what abomination is about but those are mammals around the middle eastern regions...for little islands it was sea creatures. I don’t eat mammals anymore coz they are too close to me and it is the gentlest ones we kill and how they keep them is very cruel on most farms Killing for pleasure is sickening

Andrea Dietrich January 12, 2020 at 2:53 PM Methinks you are vegan?? Very good descriptive writing, Susan. I think there is some scripture that talks about . I just found more than one. Here is one:Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you (hmmm, that sounds like even humans are game!!!) Susan Woodrow January 12, 2020 at 9:42 PM No i still eat eggs and fish The scriptures were written long before our current knowledge of nutrition and agriculture Yes, being top of the food chain means you can pretty much eat anything but should we?

Silent One January 12, 2020 at 12:55 PM Damn...what a way to look at it.. Susan Woodrow January 12, 2020 at 9:26 PM I watched goats get lined up for Halal meat slaughter and the panic in their eyes was terrible as they waited their turn...

Carolyn Devonshire January 12, 2020 at 11:57 AM Susan, your poem brought tears to my eyes, especially when you described the sea turtles. They struggle for survival. Although I eat meat, I wouldn't be able to witness a chicken being beheaded. A powerful, compelling poem. You should enter it if the contest is still open. Best wishes, Carolyn Susan Woodrow January 12, 2020 at 9:22 PM Yes, turtles are now not allowed to be eaten as their numbers have dwindled but some locals still get away with it I used to eat meat but cannot stomach the cruelty associated with it nowadays I had to slaughter chickens when mom insisted and it was a fast way to lose my appetite lol Thanks Carolyn :)

Caren Krutsinger January 10, 2020 at 9:13 AM This truly does give me pause, and make me think, Susan. Susan Woodrow January 10, 2020 at 11:43 AM I read that Mongolian tribes, have a very kind way of slaughtering their animals but then other cultures (think it is religious too) believe they need to have the blood pour out and I saw one too many of those; it is not a good way for the animal to go ...

Ann Foster January 9, 2020 at 1:14 PM Ouch. Where do I begin to say... wow... Very moving, graphic... well written. Ann Susan Woodrow January 9, 2020 at 1:33 PM ouch is a very good beginning...as to the ending, lets hope not! thank you, Ann :)

Chris Green January 9, 2020 at 7:15 AM Wow, very vivid and deeply affecting to me. I can't stand to see anything die, anything. Susan Woodrow January 9, 2020 at 6:15 PM and that's how it should be, Chris but most are too removed from death to actually feel the suffering. Imagine those that work in slaughterhouses Chris Green January 9, 2020 at 2:15 PM Mine isn't a fear of blood, it is the curse of having too big of a heart and caring for all living things. Susan Woodrow January 9, 2020 at 11:46 AM mother had some ideas on how to have me get over my fear of blood... :)

Jenish Somadas January 9, 2020 at 1:35 AM wow.. powerful emotions conveyed.. It should be in the contest.. Susan Woodrow January 9, 2020 at 2:14 AM thank you...it's the wrong form but the contest sure had me thinking of some of the animals I've seen die over the years :)