Towards the slaughterhouse

· by · in blank verse, flashfiction, Friday Fictioneers, poetry. ·

We never hesitated, followed you.
We forged ahead until the end.
We never walked on narrow roads.
With joyful eyes and speedily
towards the slaughterhouse we went.

We are the lambs of innocence.
We are your dinner table sacrifice.
You steal our pelts, and carve the bones
We are your sausages to be.
towards the slaughterhouse we’re sent.

We are your warming winter coats
We are your Sunday steaks with mint.
We are your fashionable shoes.
and what was left you feed your dogs
towards the slaughterhouse we went.

We are your very loyal friends
Towards the slaughterhouse we’re sent.

Copyright-Sandra Crook

Copyright-Sandra Crook

For the prompt this week I tweaked my poem for the last time. I also did a new recording, apologize for my voice, It’s what it sounds like having a flue. If you are interested to learn more about me and my writing I was interviewed on Poetry United, where I also share some poetry for those interested.

Friday Fictioneers is a blogging community to write 100 words fiction (though mine this week is in blank verse more or less) Rochelle is our shepherd and we follow her every week into various adventures.


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July 13, 2016

63 responses to “Towards the slaughterhouse”

  2. Dear Bjorn,

    Your poem put me in mind of the populace of some countries in this, the election year of mine. Your voice sounded fine, too. Keep off the beaten path, my friend. The world needs poets like you.

    Yours,

    Doug

  3. I really like your take on this weeks prompt. I struggled with starting writing this week, later after posting my take on the prompt, I found myself wondering why I had not given the sheep a voice. I very glad that you did. Mike

  4. Dear Björn,

    The addition of your voice adds to this very well written poem. In light of it, I feel a little uncomfortable being the shepherd. 😉 Pass the mint, please.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

  8. Your recitation echoed the regret that I was feeling for my past sunday lunches. Powerful stuff and quite sad really.

  9. So true! So real! So the same!
    I had a language teacher who one day asked us what a cow would say if it could speak. Many of us said many things. One girl finally said: “You take my milk meant for my kid to drink it yourself. Is it right?”
    Our teacher said, that’s the answer I was looking for and then went on to teach a poem about a horse speaking.
    Reminded me of it!

  10. The last line links to so much more, friends betraying friends, masters abandoning/abusing followers, parents/teachers/relatives/caregivers molesting children
    The world has gone mad and your poem highlights how selfish the taker can be.

  11. This poem saddens me greatly, The poor loyal sheep have no knowledge that the journey they are being taken on leads only to ONE place – the slaughterhouse. I am eating very little meat nowadays…can hardly bear being any kind of participator in leading lambs (or cows or…) to slaughter. And on a deeper level, I do fear that we are the lambs being led to slaughter, and though many of us fight this as hard as we can it seems that the slaughterhouse awaits us all, and we all turn into the sausages of some out of control machine.

  17. Very good stuff – an allegory for how we use all of nature, not just sheep. Powerful stuff. A great interview on Poetry United too – very impressive stuff and oyu do live in such a lovely pink house! 🙂

  18. This reminds me of videos I’ve seen of sheep, goats . . . playing, and their innocence. They truly are lambs to the slaughter and it makes me feel sad. P.S. I loved hearing you read your poem. Your tones made your words come alive. Thank you.

  25. I read it first and then listened. Well done, Bjorn. I enjoyed both, but especially listening. You had just the right tone and it hit a soft spot. I wish things could be different in this world.

  26. We rely on other creatures for survival, but there is a fine line between use and abuse when there’s no respect. Which is what many of our leaders lack towards us sheep as well. What an excellent, powerful poem, Björn. And I also enjoyed hearing you read.

  27. What a powerful poem with a powerful message. Just goes to show that we best know where those we follow are actually going. Very strong metaphor you’ve built here.

  28. Great poem, Bjorn. Of course, as I have said before, I’m a sucker for poetry. The tweak seems good. I listened to your voice and kept thinking of the movie The Seventh Seal and the way those actors sounded.
    Not to sound tacky or anything, but lamb is my favorite meat. My uncles were cow and pig farmers and I live in the beef capitol of the midwest, go figure.
    Aside from that, the sheep, however, is an animal that is teachable, unlike goats that are not. And the sheep teach us very big lessons — that we are in desperate need of a Shepherd to guide us through life or we end up in the stockyards.
    Bravo, Bjorn! Great job!

  29. Lots to ponder in your poem, Bjorn. I watched the first episode of a new documentary series by Martin Clunes last night about how to care for animals and still utilise them as workers. He also talks a lot about eating meat and still respecting the animal and treating it kindly. It probably wouldn’t convince a dedicated vegetarian, but I think it makes an honest attempt to address the issues. Uncomfortable stuff. Lovely poem.

  30. How true. This poem reminds me of the U.S. election also. Hatred has driven people to behave like sheep. Individuals are often nothing to fear. It’s when they become a mob it’s dangerous. Good writing. —- Suzanne

  31. Another great poem Bjorn. I listened as well and you have a great voice for poetry.

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