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| Image source: Adventure Journal |
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| Image source: Inhabit |
Two butchers
both alike
in their savagery,
killed to eat and killed to sell.
They were both successful
and prosperous
and fat.
One butcher
slaughtered his hogs.
Stun
Stick
Scald
Split
The other butcher
slaughtered his cows.
Stun
Stick
Head
Shank
The hog butcher
used a saw
when he cut bones
and a knife to stick.
The cow butcher
used a saw
when he cut bones
and a knife to stick.
“The way you use that
rusty saw to
split your hog
is terrible,”
said the cow butcher.
“The way you use that
dull knife to
shank your cows
is horrible,”
said the hog butcher.
The butchers
wiped their cleavers
on smeared aprons.
“Something should be done
about a butcher like you,”
said the butchers.
The butchers
wiped their cleavers
on smeared aprons
and shook their heads.
Each went back home to skin.
“I’m glad I’m not a butcher like he is”
said the hog butcher.
Stun
Stick
Scald
Split
“I’m glad I’m not a butcher like he is”
said the cow butcher.
Stun
Stick
Head
Shank
Poet, photographer, and traveler, Adrienne S. Wallner teaches composition in Wisconsin. She is currently working on a book about her and her husband's road trip to America's National Parks. To join the journey visit www.inkinthebranches.com.
