VEGANGELICA

He was raised to believe

things were either, or.

Always one or the other,

never less or more.

He could choose heaven or hell.  

There was no between.

He was taught to follow

a being unseen.

Earth was a weigh station, a proving ground,

a gift from God in whom all joy was found.

Nothing around him existed of its own.

All was attributed to God alone.

Animals are low, they said,

with humans above.

Maybe beasts had feelings,

but they couldn’t love.

Our duty was to use them.  

It was their fate

to feed and clothe our kind

as we procreate.

His family loved animals

but only cooked well through.

They liked them alive but just

for what they do for you.

They felt it was righteous

to dominate,

with utter disregard

for whom they ate.

And they cried,

        "Praise the Lord for our earthly banquet,

        the tender lamb on our dinner plate,

        all of gracious God’s designing."

        No room for debate.

And they prayed,

        "God, bless our family and our meal.

        Come and sit at our table’s head."

But if the meal were truly blessed,

the boy thought, it would still be alive,

not dead.

What kind of god would ever design

the cruelty on which they dine?

What sort of god would ever intend

for creatures to come to this beastly end?

He had a sacrilegious tendency

not to see dichotomy

but a matter of degree.

He pushed away from the table,

ran as far as he could,

out to the stable where he went

in his childhood

with the ghosts of the goat

and the somber sheep

who used to comfort the child

when they heard him weep

because he knew precisely

what their end would be

but he was not allowed

to set them free.

The lamb would settle by his side.

The farm dog nuzzled his hand.

They had no need for words

to understand

he had a compassionate tendency

not to see dichotomy

but a matter of degree.

He’s a grown man now,

buys his own table fare,

a vast cornucopia

of fruits that plants bear.

No animals are used or killed

to meet his needs

because he nourishes his life

with the goodness of seeds.

If God gave "every green plant" for food,

then why do people think it’s rude    

when you say that killing’s not nice,

and it’s cruel to sacrifice

all these beautiful beings whose birth

makes them our fellow travelers on earth,

sharing love and pain and joy,

which he already knew when a boy

because of his wonderful tendency

not to see dichotomy

but a matter of degree.

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Photo Sources:

"Heavenly Sky" Copyright 2007 by Erica Beay

Cross, photo by Josee Holland Eclipse (www.publicdomainpictures.net)

"Geese Family" (public domain)

Chickens slaughtered (public domain) (www.animalvoice.com/images/gallery/slaughter.html) 

Dead chicken on plate (www.freedigitalphotos.net) 

People skinning a slaughtered pig (public domain) (www.animalvoice.com) 

Lamb roased (www.freedigitalphotos.net)

Art depicting Jesus Christ (public domain) 

Pig slaughtered and bloody (public domain) (www.animalsvoice.com/gallery/slaughter.html)

"Goat" photo by Erica Beay, placed in the public domain

Sheep (www.bigfoto.com)

A lamb in the straw (www.copyright-free-pictures.org.uk)

Friendly dog (www.publicdomainpictures.net)

Fruits (www.bigfoto.com)

Seeds (Public Domain) photo by Petr Kratochvil (www.publicdomainpictures.net)

Slaughtered piglets (www.tomregan-animalrights.com/archive/slaughter.html) 

Brown and white piglets (free-stock-photos.com)

Goats nuzzling (www.copyright-free-pictures.org.uk)

Humans nuzzling, photo by Erica's spouse