A Ritual Butchering

Faroe Islands, annual killing of beached whales and dolphins.

It's a fine day for a cull,
overhead spreads blanket blue
and where salt water gently laps
are men waist deep in bloodied red.
They've stained the sea
in butchered shame.
It's a fine day for a cull,
those creatures dead or dying
while I for one feel certainly
the sky with pity's sighing
and can hear the ocean as it wails.
On a fine day for a cull,
the ocean waves are crying.

Reviews

[willweb]

Such a heart wrenching poetic vision you have painted here. I am an animal person, all the way and though I do realize that some things need to have numbers thinned down or are used for food...slaughter and butcher, two words I don't really care for. But, your poem is wonderfully crafted, as all of your works are and thanks so much for sharing this.

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks will. Pictures paint some nasty images regardless of what the story is. All the best. read moreMany thanks will. Pictures paint some nasty images regardless of what the story is. All the best.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

this makes me cry...I love both whales and dolphins...they are smarter than we are...as evidenced by our stupid slaughter of beautiful animals...they wouldn't do the same to us.
j.

[Chris Shaw]

I cried too Jacob when I saw the photographs in the paper and online last week. Beautiful, intelligent creatures. It is shameful. Thank you.

Chris

[John Alexander McFadyen]

A very, very sad scene wrapped up in a blanket of first class poetry, written in exact terms with great metre, rhyme and pathos!

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you John. Shocking photographs seen in the paper and online last week. Enough to make you weep, and I did.

Chris