Nuclear swine

The nuclear scientists used

the closest thing to our own

body tissue to witness

and study the effects of

thermal pulse and blast-effects.

 

Operation Plumbbob, they named

it and in their stiff white labcoats,

they huffed and puffed radiation

on almost 1200 pigs.

 

Let us in! they cried to science,

fists tight around sharp No2 pencils

and minds wrapped in equations,

                               barbed wire numbers and symbols.

 

Atomic burns, exploded cells

                     and all     t he

                               hou se s   w ere  b l o    w    n

                 

    d o  w 

                 n.

 

Pig flesh and people flesh

bacon and baked.

Author's Note

in the last stanza... should it be "Pig flesh and person flesh" instead? Does the spaces in the houses blown down bit work?

Reviews

[.]

Both ways could work at the end of the piece. I actually might prefer using "people" due to the "p" sound, but you are the "scientist "to your own creation. Overall this piece was great. It is a beautiful, realistic satire on our society today, and how we use/abuse animals for our own benefits. At he end of the day though, we realize that we too are animals(flesh), and that we are all the same. Great job-- as usual.

[eglantine]

Thanks bunches for reading and for your view on my person/human struggle. I've gotten such good reasons to use both---I'm still debating!

[Melobldnfr]

I like "Pig flesh and person flesh". ;-)

[eglantine]

Thanks!

[Androglossia]

They say, one of the most important elements of a successful science project is how much the scientist enjoy conducting it and whether they have a genuine interest in the outcome of the hypothesis. That's why science projects that incorporate animals are often a hit with those conducting the project as well as those reviewing it. And human is animal. This poem reminds me of Guinea pigs and lab rats. This reminds me of pharmaceutical projects that creates drugs and creates plagues to make use of the drugs. Great concept.

[Androglossia]

pharmaceutical projects that create* drugs and create* plagues

[Eloha]

Interesting topic choice, I like "human flesh" as is, chilling.

[Brandon S. Whitten]

Brilliant piece. Quite a frightening thought, it's a waste of genius. Imagine what could be created if they used their intelligence for the greater good.