The Truth about Cows by Annie Cowell

The Truth about Cows

I’ve heard a lot of bad stuff about cows;
about how these murderous brutes
are hell bent on killing people, one way or another.
I’ve read about the dog walkers
gangs of cows have trampled to death;
of how those burgers we gobble
will fester in our bowels,
the milk we guzzle make us sick.
I’ve heard about how cows are burping
and farting methane willy nilly
into our air, turning up the temperature,
killing our planet.

So, when a bunch of the beasts move
into a field near my house, I watch
for signs of bother.
I notice how they chew and chew and chew,
gooey threads hanging from mouths
dotted with flies like currant buns.
I notice their soft brown eyes; curious
how they stand with faces gentled by the sun,
sisters, leaning into each other.
I watch them canter on dew-soaked mornings,
kicking up heels in moist grass,
lying down later, as they smell the rain.
Their lowing lulls like a Greek chorus;
though they are the protagonists.
It is our hubris which prevents us
from seeing the truth about cows;
from seeing we are the villains
in this tragedy.

What is the truth about cows?

They are a poem in compassion.*

*Mahatma Gandhi

Find out more about Annie on our Contributors’ Page.

Looking for your next read? Support indie presses by finding your next book from our list of independent publishers.

(Photo: Javier González/ flickr.com/ CC BY-ND 2.0)

Author
Recent Posts

Follow Her

Annie Cowell

Annie grew up in a fishing village on the north east coast of England. A former teacher, she now lives by the sea in Cyprus with her husband and rescue dogs. She has poems published or forthcoming in Popshot Quarterly, Paddler Press, Gastropoda, boats against the current and others.

Follow Her