I could sense something was wrong

So I went to see moving carefully among the trees

I saw a building of harsh stone

Unforgiving standing alone

I crept up with stealth to see through a small window

Hoping it would reveal what was inside

Curious me, with my curious nature.

Looking in like I spy

I saw things that were vile

This building was a slaughter house

A place of death, a place of pain.

Peering in I saw animals queuing up to be put to death

Cows on the right and pigs hung from hooks on the left

No hope or salvation

Just simply death

And I saw the terror in their eyes

To me this was no shock or surprise.

I crept around too the door

And was not prepared for what I saw

Blood running like a river as they slit pigs throats

As they fired into the head of the cow a bolt

I could smell the blood and smell the death

And in that moment I felt bereft

I could hear the deafening terrified screams

From the pigs as they were dying

Then sent into searing hot water and steam

So as to strip the skin with comparative ease

The cows were hauled up on hooks

To suffer the same fate if I am not mistook.

In this place I could almost taste

The sickening meat on display

I moved inside where a cow was hanging

I stroked the hair upon its face

Said a prayer for its soul

And felt the disgrace carried out by the human race

I could feel the last of the warmth evacuate.

I touched, smelt, saw, heard and tasted the death of animal innocence

And vowed never to eat meat again

A man came over and tried justifying this

Saying that they were bred for it.

I was not convinced

I just felt sick

I said nothing but left

Double quick

This obscenity would now live with me

Long on in my thought, dreams and memories.