A New Beginning
by Heather Leughmyer
http://poemsbyheather.tripod.com/index1.htm

She gazes with love
Into small almond eyes
And forgets for a moment
The buzzing of flies.
He looks up at her
In an instant he knows
She’ll keep him safe
And help him to grow.

Just as their bond
Begins to grow strong
He’s pulled away roughly
Something is wrong.
He looks back at her
She gets further away
She lets out a cry
She wants him to stay.

Distress disregarded
Fear forgotten so well
He’s forced onto a ramp
On the road to his hell.
Crammed into a truck
With so many others
All of them frightened
Torn from mothers.

When the truck finally stops
They’re led out one by one
Chained by the neck
Denied mom’s milk and sun.
There in the darkness
In tiny stalls they wait
Unable to move
Unaware of their fate.

Mechanical hands and hormones
Having babies ripped away
Soon take their toll on her
She has just one more day.
As she’s shoved into a truck
He’s hauled into another
By this same time tomorrow
He will finally see his mother.

But this time will be different
No bars, no crate, no chain
Sunlight replaces darkness
Pastures replace the pain.
The bond they share can grow this time
They’ll never have to part
They’ll live as nature meant them to
As they should have from the start.

---

~Cows who are left to roam pastures and care for their young form life-long friendships with one another and have demonstrated the ability to be vain, hold grudges, and play games. But the cows raised for the meat and dairy industries are far removed from sun-drenched pastures and nursing calves.~