Literature
Cattle Car
cattle to the slaughter
chains tinkering against the metal runway
in submission, they march-
but one, she's a martyr.
head steady, she parks in the back,
content; albeit she knows she'll be on the meat rack.
the ride's rocky, jerking her about
into bars and sweat and shrieking hogs.
round 'em up, bring 'em on down;
shhh, dear heart; they'll know if you pound
and into a patty, you'll be ground.
lift your head higher.
obey the constraints;
an orchestra against the metal.
but don't drag your legs-
one heifer strumbles and loses her head.
they said 60 days
for the craze to fester in her head.
beneath the guillotine's claw,
barely dignified st