May I Have Your Attention Please?

Greetings of the day and thank you for your time to listen to my story,

For I’m just a mere pig- narrating the life of my kind with a cruel twist in our destiny.

I am neither an animal with superior talents, nor one who may be exceptionally clever,

In fact, I’m the one who sizzles in your pan, roasts in your oven and rests in your freezer.

I was born on a beautiful summer day in the month of May,

My mother- the Mighty Sow was heaving in the haystack where I lay

With many of my brothers and sisters who had barely opened their tiny eyes,

I was happy to be one amongst them- innocent, warm and oblivious to the twists and turns of life.

In a few days’ time we were up and about,

Frolicking in the hay and exploring the world with our snouts.

Every morning we would go squealing into the pens, the sheds and the barns,

Only to end our day with a delicious, generous meal- ah! Our lives had every reason to be adored.

’Twas all a bed of roses until the middle of October

When there was a noticeable chill in the air and a change in our Master’s behavior.

Deep lines of apprehension would constantly crease his otherwise buoyant face,

Why! There were frequent days when I would sit by his side and help him wipe his tears away!

Our inquisitive minds were soon put to rest

When a day came that hailed a life of melancholy, misery and dread.

Our lovely farm was bought over by a group of rotund, loud and boisterous gentry

There were rumors of converting our home into something called an animal factory!

The next morning was one which changed my life forever,

 Two men came to our sty to collect us and our loving mother.

They observed each one of the piglets as we were dumped into a miserable crate

Concluding, “They all need to be force fed if we wish to mint some good money, mate!”

Terrified, we all started crying for our lives,

There was a sudden glimmer of mourning in my mother’s soft brown eyes.

That day was the last I ever saw of her- a shock which I couldn’t ever shake off my mind,

We were separated from her and dumped in a tiny shed that was already teeming with our kind.