OF BEASTS AFFLICTED

The sound is unlike anything I can recall
I try to shut my ears, but there's no doing that
so they are inundated with an unholy screaming
that only tortured dogs can make
At first it's just celebrities talking about some-
thing so heinous, I can't take it in
Then, my computer screen shows me these
videos -- even now, hours later -- I can't
get the pictures out of my mind

There are all these little Asian men and they
have long poles with some kind of noose
on the end
They are looping the nooses around the necks
of dogs and throwing the dogs
onto flats filled with other dogs
And I do mean throwing - just heaving these animals
They yank them as hard as they can, not caring
if they break their necks or legs
Or hurt them in any way as they smash them
all together onto a truck

They stack the flats of smashed together dogs
Dogs that are literally screaming or whimpering
or yowling in pain
They stack them on top of each other - five or
six or eight flats deep - on the back of the truck
Then drive, apparently sometimes for days,
never stopping - they don't intend to ever
feed or water these animals again—so why bother
Many of the dogs die enroute from having other
dogs piled on them
Or from dehydration or starvation

Once they get to their destination, the dogs
are skinned and used for meat--
Restaurant meat or supermarket meat
Often, they are still conscious when they're skinned...
so I guess it's lucky to die enroute.