04-20-2017, 03:38 PM
The Stockyard
Even for a man it’s bewilderin’.
Just how much more confusin’ for the pigs?
Slaught’rin’ a lot’s like killin’ pre-school kids.
Snout to ass, you lead ‘em to the killin’ door;
one by one to the killing floor - behind
the stockyard’s full of minotaurs with long
lashes. Escape would take an Ariadne.
But once, I think, it happened, though.
Last June, 88 pigs were going through,
88 hooks were filled up, too, but still:
I think it happened.
The day was running hot, my tongue hung long,
the flies were thick, the smell was strong and hazed
my thoughts as down along the chutes I snapped
the prod. Then Jear, I saw, was acting odd.
He stood too long down by the gate. A sow,
I saw, was standing face to face with him.
She nodded, he nodded. His gaze cast wide.
Stepping back, I hid. He caught Willy’s eye:
“Holla boss! Hold up!” Jear said. The sow
ambled up the chute. The bell rung. Lunchtime.
Maybe half an hour gone by - back I came
to find that Jear had quit. Then we gathered
to work, but waited. Waited. No one knew where
Willy was. They sent us home with pay.
Now, I hear you say “so what? Days off with pay
sure ain’t no hardship.” But Willy’s missin’ still!
And Jear - Well, Jear… in I dropped on Jear one time:
and found that ugly fucker’s wife’s a sow!
Even for a man it’s bewilderin’.
Just how much more confusin’ for the pigs?
Slaught’rin’ a lot’s like killin’ pre-school kids.
Snout to ass, you lead ‘em to the killin’ door;
one by one to the killing floor - behind
the stockyard’s full of minotaurs with long
lashes. Escape would take an Ariadne.
But once, I think, it happened, though.
Last June, 88 pigs were going through,
88 hooks were filled up, too, but still:
I think it happened.
The day was running hot, my tongue hung long,
the flies were thick, the smell was strong and hazed
my thoughts as down along the chutes I snapped
the prod. Then Jear, I saw, was acting odd.
He stood too long down by the gate. A sow,
I saw, was standing face to face with him.
She nodded, he nodded. His gaze cast wide.
Stepping back, I hid. He caught Willy’s eye:
“Holla boss! Hold up!” Jear said. The sow
ambled up the chute. The bell rung. Lunchtime.
Maybe half an hour gone by - back I came
to find that Jear had quit. Then we gathered
to work, but waited. Waited. No one knew where
Willy was. They sent us home with pay.
Now, I hear you say “so what? Days off with pay
sure ain’t no hardship.” But Willy’s missin’ still!
And Jear - Well, Jear… in I dropped on Jear one time:
and found that ugly fucker’s wife’s a sow!