It Wasn’t Humane to Start With

I looked up 

the word “humane”

in your dictionary

and, holy shit, 

you are not 

going to believe

how wonderful it sounds

“Marked by compassion,

sympathy, or consideration”

Synonyms include

benevolent, kind,

and good-hearted

I, for one,

would not want 

to miss this

Nor, I’m sure,

would you 

(even as a human)

want to miss out

on all of this kind, 

sympathetic treatment

Take my place,

just for a moment,

so you can bask

in the humanity

And please,

dear human,

enlighten me

If it were you

on the slaughter line,

which methods 

would you consider

most humane?

Would you choose 

a bolt gun to the head

before your body is cut apart

or is low-grade electrocution

more your style?

Do you prefer

being hung by your legs

or would warm tenderness 

be more evident

if you were raised 

by your arms?

Picture how 

kindheartedly

they will take from you 

your baby

The gentleness 

of your castration 

might bring 

a tear of joy 

to your eye

Just imagine

how much mercy

they will show  

when they 

slit your throat

Envision the 

compassion with which

they will steal

your final breath

Oh, the countless ways

you can benevolently

slaughter a human

If not the synonyms

of the word humane,

but the antonyms

come to mind

as you put yourself

in our place,

then maybe, just maybe,

it wasn’t humane 

to start with

18 Mar 2019