All of God's creatures have rights, a fact that most people don't seem to recognize.
This includes both human and non-human animals, but not all of them can speak for themselves.
Every beast in every cage,
Forlornly gazing through the bars,
Records its suffering on the page
Of God’s Great Book beyond the stars.
Every cat, or deer, or cow
Wailing for her newly born,
Brings the sweat drops to the brow
Of One who watched His Mother mourn.
Every burdened beast in pain,
Every blow on aching limb
Of horse or ass is struck again
Each bloody stripe that wounded Him.
All the pain His creatures bear,
Every yelp or groan or mew
In compassion He must share.
Oh, my God, how can we dare
So to goad and torture You?
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