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. The Vegan Poem Page 4

Unique poetry to promote the many benefits of a plant-based (vegan) diet.

These poem pages are a forum for artists to share their work with others.

Unless otherwise noted, the poems are copyrighted by the individual authors.

Views expressed in these poems do not necessarily reflect those of SoyStache and it's founders.

Poetry by Bernie Jones:

I have no control over anything about my life

I am used, abused;

my life is worthless.

When I am spent, I will be killed.

When I no longer earn the right to this tiny little space I am living in...

I will be disposed of in a painful and despicable manner.

Few will ever know or care that I ever existed,

though I exist for them.

Most people will never WANT to know about me.

My life and death will be hidden from their eyes,

so long as the people who DO know, keep quiet.

Those people who will never choose to know

are the very people who create the need for my feeble existence....

and my inevitable slaughter.

I will never thank them for my life...

only for my death.

Looked on as necessity so

accepted by society

Enveloped in normality so

supported by the majority

Their tortured souls cry out to me

By-products of an industry

Bred to die for us to eat

Dying for something so PETTY

Insanity.

Get away from me!

Stop pecking me!

Stop that throbbing in my head...that searing pain in my beak

What's happened to my beak?

A hot blade, a searing pain I can still feel...what did they do?

Why did they do it?

Take that foul stench from what is left of my

nostrils...PLEASE! ...is this my life? I can barely move

I shit through the slats in the floor

I'm scared and I'm cramped.

GET AWAY FROM ME!

No space to call my own.

I peck...I am pecked.

I peck and try to stretch,

and peck

and shit

and peck

and sleep

and try to stretch again.

It stinks in here. I stink. This world stinks. Is this my life? I lay, I eat, I shit, I sleep, I peck, I am pecked, I stink,

I screech, I feel pain Is this my life?

Surely they understand

as I squeal

as I squeak

as I move

as I shove

as I struggle

as I twist

as I turn

as I scream

as I push

as I plead

as I give up

as I bleed

...that it hurts

We resign to the fact that lives will be lost

To satisfy cravings, no matter the cost

The voiceless will die, no screams to be heard

Though the horror goes on, few people care

Grown for our pleasure

Tweaked for good measure

Slaughtered at leisure

For a culinary treasure

Who said it was right to create life to take it?

To slit the lamb's throat to grill fry or bake it?!

Take newborns from mothers, slaughter cows whilst with baby?

All for the sake of sausage and gravy!

Grown for our pleasure

Tweaked for good measure

Slaughtered at leisure

For a culinary treasure

Watch the beast struggle whilst it's throat's being slit

Improperly stunned,

struggling,

in agonizing pain,

falling into the blood pit.

Thrown live into the scalding tank, soon this pain must cease

Poor innocent,

never caused harm,

on her vile path to everlasting peace

Grown for our pleasure

Tweaked for good measure

Slaughtered at leisure

For a culinary treasure

Maybe they haven't died in vain

Some good may come from all this pain...

Might end up in a Jamie Oliver recipe!

As the needle goes in

As the poison goes on

The foul tasting substance is forced into my mouth

As I begin to feel drowsy

I feel pain upon pain

Please God...

HEAR MY PLEAS! ...no one hears. My ears and eyes sting

What was in that syringe?

Why are they shaving my back?

What's that paste?...it BURNS!

I scream again with the pain

For mercy's sake...

HEAR MY PLEAS! ...no one hears They scrape,

they rape,

they prod,

they poke,

they cut,

they slice,

they dice,

they splice,

they inject,

they sting,

they hurt!

Please, I'M IN AGONY!

STOP HURTING ME!

HEAR MY PLEAS! ...Still, no one hears.

We hold aloft banners,

PAIN for all to see

We scream out the truth

a wild and desperate plea!

We march and we shout

and hope someone will hear

Hearts swell with determination,

To make the truth clear

On a subject held dear

In the hopes some will hear We peacefully make our stand

We will NOT add our names to the majority list

We wish to hold out our hands,

show compassion,

not destroy with our fists.

But 'we' are the trouble makers?

'We' offend the eye?!

Holding aloft the truth

Death and torture up high

With desperation we cry

with compassion money can't buy We speak for the voiceless

We despair for the voiceless

We weep for the voiceless

We care for the voiceless

We refuse to support mutilation, torture, slaughter

We fight to stop the abuse of minds, bodies, souls

We must stop the suffering of mothers, fathers, sons,

daughters

We will not accept the 850,000,000 a year death toll The majority support this, yet WE are the ones who offend?

Get your coat on love, it's turkey day today

Christmas is only a short week away

Off to market we go, I'll let you choose

We want the plumpest, no time to lose! Mummy...was that once alive?

Yes dear

Mummy...is it dead?

Yes dear!

Mummy...did it cry when it died?

No dear!

Mummy...how do you KNOW what it said?

Did it WANT to die?

Did it scream and cry?

Are they all it's sisters and brothers?

Are they girls or boys?

Did they make a noise?

Did they all have fathers and mothers?

Does it hurt to die?

Did they all say goodbye?

Is it just like going to sleep?

But you said killing is bad.

Mummy...I'm really sad

I pray the Lord their souls to keep I don't want to eat turkey mummy.

The Cost of an Omelette

Eggs, milk and cheese, no animal is hurt

That is what I used to think

I would never eat meat, but I'll have a cheese omelette

And a big glass of cold milk to drink

Omelette's are great, no cruelty involved

Cruelty? I won't take the blame!

I'm doing my bit and I feel nice and smug

Bernie the veggie's my name! Then one day...

I was surfing the net, can't remember quite why

It must have been 'my time' to learn

What's this? By-products? Calves? Chicks?

My stomach had started to churn

The male chicks are useless so are crushed, gassed or shredded

Male calves are disposed of at birth

So I can have milk, cheese and eggs for my tea

I never knew of such cruelty on earth So finally I had gotten to the truth, to the facts

It's not only meat that is cruel

When animals are 'used', pain's an inevitable cost

I can't believe I have been such a fool

Even if ONE calf or chick dies in pain

It would be one too many I fear

But it's not one or two, but millions of lives

being taken for us every year

I've since become vegan, I've realised the cost,

of an omelette is just much too dear.

My time to die is close now

Though I'm too tired to fight

I see many others 'round me

Struggling with all their might My bones, my skin, my innards ache

Worn out before my years

Soon to die, and I am glad

My fatigue outweighs my fears Many offspring I have bore

Though I have reared none

I have grieved for each of my babies,

Never known where they have gone My life is to be extinguished

Though I am heavily with calf

I want to die, though fear for the pain

To be inflicted on this unborn life The pain and terror of my slaughter

Will be less to bear than was my life

But I feel terror for my little one

To know nothing save the slaughterman's knife I'm offloaded with the others

Herded and beaten to the killing floor

White eyes of terror all around me,

When my life will be extinguished, I am not sure I'm next...I'm restrained...I shit myself

A bolt is held to my head

A second and it will all be over?

I welcome being dead

Please let my baby's death be quick...

Those who commit the crimes

Don't hear the screams?

Won't hear the screams?

Can't hear the screams?

For if they did they'd stop, surely...?

I have been hurt and made to feel bad

I have been shocked and made to feel sad

I have been forced to change my life

I have felt so much upset and strife

I have seen some truths and I have turned away

I didn't acknowledge all suffering in one day

I didn't change all my ways overnight

I didn't suddenly know, all that was right

It takes a lifetime to learn and it hurts at the start

But it didn't take long to look into my heart

To realize the cruelty and make my stand

If you want to learn...here is my hand

I will help you

Stop the cruelty

I look all around me to see what is "normal"

And the tears will not cease not because I'm hormonal

Because the things that I witness all of the time

Are things derived of cruelty, though pushed from your minds

I look down and I see you are wearing leather daps

And it's ham or corned beef that you have in your baps

It is cow's milk you put in your coffee and tea

Is that contempt in your eyes as you're looking at me?

I try not to look, not to judge, though inside

The pain that I feel is so hard to hide

I know the cruelties behind those "innocent" acts

You choose not to see, but I know the facts

Do I make you feel guilty for making my stand?

Why do you turn from me as I hold out my hand?

Is it because you believe all I do is criticize?

As you eat your beef burger and turn from my eyes.

Do you never ask me questions because you don't want to hear ...the reasons for my actions, the cost is too dear

You may have to change, if you hear what I say

It may change your life in every way!

You perpetuate suffering though try not to see it

Sometimes you realize, try hard to ignore it

I understand fully, it's painful to see

The suffering and pain, the endless cruelty

It's easier to bury your head in the sand

Only I can't ignore the truth on command

It's time that more people make the stand

Please, open your eyes, take my hand

And take a good, long look at the realities of this world

Join in the fight to stop the cruelty.

I am trying to look into the heart of THAT man

He looks like he could be my father, my brother, my lover

I'm trying to see that THAT man, has a heart

He looks so ordinary, no different from one man or another

I have such bad feelings towards THAT man

I cannot comprehend his motivation

THAT man eats, drinks and sleeps the same as you and I,

Looking at him, I find it hard to hate him

It's so hard to believe he commits such horrendous acts

It's just a job to him, killing, day in, day out

Does he understand the evil behind what he does?

Is he well aware what suffering is all about?

Does he think about the suffering, though simply not care?

Does he value money, higher than life?

Does he know what morals are? Have principles, values?

Does he ever repent as he uses his knife?

Does he see the fear in the animal's eyes?

Does he care as she struggles to get free?

Does he care as he places the bolt to her head?

Or does he simply choose not to see?

Does he laugh as she clumsily falls to the floor,

As he takes his knife and slits her throat?

Does he ignore her when she becomes conscious again

Thrashing more blood on his already spattered overcoat?

That pig's in agony, she's fully conscious

As her throat is roughly slit

Struggling, squealing, kicking, smashing

Crashing to the floor of the blood pit

Is that just a necessary part of the job

Seeing suffering every day?

Does he really believe the vile things he does

Are the right, the ONLY way?

He's paid per head, killing faster and faster

Who cares if the pregnant cow is awake?

THAT man needs the cash for his holiday in Spain

Killing for survival's sake?!

It's a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it

That's what most people say

They don't even question the majority's norm

That there might just be another way?!

"I wouldn't do it, but thank God for THAT man."

My loved ones keep THAT man covered in blood

They are as cruel as THAT man who holds the knife

He does the job they don't think they could!

They choose not to see the horrors they support

The pain and suffering they cause

Never to know the hell inside the slaughterhouse,

See deaths of the innocents without a voice

I saw the balloons on the slaughterhouse door

Red like the colour of the slaughterhouse floor

Someoneís having a birthday and theyíll eat some cake

What birthday wish will the animals make

Let's have a party

As we take some lives

Let's celebrate

Whilst we use our knives

Let's have some fun

As the young calf screams

We'll drown the noise out

...with laughter.

Happy birthday to you

BANG GOES THE GUN

Happy birthday to you

LET'S HAVE SOME FUN, FUN, FUN!

Happy birthday dear slaughterman!

The cow drops with a thud

Happy birthday to you

Now she's covered in blood

So, let's have a party

As we take some lives

Let's celebrate

Whilst we use our knives

Let's have some fun

As the young calf screams

We'll drown the noise out

...with laughter.

The absurdity of what I saw made me cry

To think that 'they' are laughing as the animals die

Cut down in their prime for us to eat

No birthdays for them, just a journey to 'meat'.

But, let's have a party

As we take some lives

Let's celebrate

Whilst we use our knives

Let's have some fun

As the young calf screams

We'll drown the noise out

...with laughter.

Inside those walls today they're having some fun

Celebrating someone's life as their bloody work is done

Many years he's worked taking life after life

...now let's celebrate his?

Yeah, let's have a party

As we take some lives

Let's celebrate

Whilst we use our knives

Let's have some fun

As the young calf screams

We'll drown the noise out

...with laughter.

Although I'm not ecstatic, about the skin I'm in

Killing someone to remove theirs, would surely be a sin?!

I believe that it is wicked to kill an animal for its fur,

To take the skin it's living in, leave its bloodied carcass bare!

Some think that it's acceptable, to kill in the name of fashion,

Adorn the fireplace with animal skin for a night of bloody passion.

But I will NEVER resign to the evil deed, creating life to take it,

When we can buy from great designers who can well and truly 'fake it'!

I want no part of the pain, the suffering, the fashion of this season,

Killing for the sake of flaunting wealth is NOT a valid reason!

An outfit that 'suffers' before you wear it; a macabre and awful thought

In a so-called civilized society murder really can be bought!

Poor creatures are bred and grown and crammed, into a tiny cage,

A broken neck or anal electrocution end their sorry days.

I know these creatures would not want this life, if they had the choice

Would this cruelty still be happening if these babies had a voice?

I don't wear fur for the reasons that I have specified above

I refuse to live for cruelty and suffering, I choose to live for love.

If you are already following a plant-based diet, we applaud you. If you are not, please begin making a transition to a plant-based diet. There are many resources available on the internet and perhaps in your own area. Please visit our links page to find some of these resources. For more information on the health and environmental affects of our food choices please visit our facts page and even our calcium sources page.