Poetry by Shayna Hodkin

“Meat is murder and”
             By Shayna Hodkin

the food chain is dead. Those are facts.
If you wouldn't slit a cow's neck then
how can you eat a hamburger and if
you are against slavery how do you buy
shrink-wrapped muscle torn from bone
by undocumented immigrants in diapers
with PTSD from looking into the eyes of
sentient, cognizant creatures on line to be
slaughtered and when you bring your kids
to the park do you think about the calves
forced to stand still for weeks so their flesh
stays tender for dinner and if you wouldn't
rape me then how can you buy puppies from
mothers forced to give birth until their ovaries
fall out of their assholes and if you've looked
away from roadkill how can you wear
leather and if you hear this how can you
not listen and if you listen but don’t change
how will you sleep tonight

- Shayna Hodkin is a vegan reader, writer, and editor. It took her a long time to learn how to read, but once she started she couldn’t stop. Her work is informed by tarot, books, and the strange things that happen outside. She has two adopted dogs and hopes to open an animal sanctuary. She used to live in the desert but the silence scared her; she looks forward to trying again.

Copyright©2020 by Shayna Hodkin. All Rights Reserved.