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Robert E. Jordan
Member Rara Avis

since 2008-01-25

Posts 8541
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

0 posted 2009-05-30 08:57 PM

The steam heated scalding trough
stood waiting for the hogs.
Vapors drifted off the top
as from a cup of coffee.
The end men waited
with their hooks.

Waiting above the trough,
two men smiled sardonically.
They knew why we had come
this Thursday hour to watch
the action on the killing floor.
They opened the doors.

One after the other three hogs,
were pushed down the slide
carrying them to the trough.
They made squealing sounds
until they hit the scalding water;
this was our favorite part.

Squeals turned into maddened shrieks
as the hogs hit the water.
Writhing in their unbearable agony
they shrieked even louder,
rolling in the churning stew
as men stick prodded them forward.

The end men sunk their hooks
into the shaking bodies,
pulling them up the trough ramp.
The hogs were silent then
and three more hogs
were slid into the trough.

Young inmates of our blue collar prison,
we were entertained throughout the day.

Bobby

Kaoru

Member Elite

since 2003-06-07

Posts 3892
where the wild flowers grow

1 posted 2009-05-31 02:17 AM

I kind of squirmed while reading this, to be honest. I guess it's something that happens and pretending it doesn't is ignorant.

Bloodline
Member

since 2009-05-23

Posts 236
Oklahoma

2 posted 2009-05-31 09:17 AM

Whew! Reminds me of seeing locals
bleed a pig for the first time
in country, woke me from a sound sleep,
never forget those insane squeals,

Bloodline

Margherita
Member Seraphic

since 2003-02-08

Posts 22236
Eternity

3 posted 2009-05-31 09:18 AM

We are the most cruel species on this Earth. This is almost unbearable to me, but I have heard out in the country the desperate shrieking of hogs and never, never I will forget. Yet then after the silence ... oh God we are monsters ... I didn't disdain the sausages ...
The paradoxes of our existence.

Love with a thought to all the poor animals whom we kill so cruelly. I do hope it is not allowed anymore to kill in such ways!
Margherita

Robert E. Jordan
Member Rara Avis

since 2008-01-25

Posts 8541
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

4 posted 2009-05-31 09:30 AM

Thanks dear Kaoru,

For reading and commenting.

I think it's important to know how things are done.

Love Bobby

Robert E. Jordan
Member Rara Avis

since 2008-01-25

Posts 8541
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

5 posted 2009-05-31 09:32 AM

Thanks dear Bloodline,

For reading, and your insightful comment.

This of course took place in our city, mass production, slaughterhouse.

Love Bobby

[This message has been edited by Robert E. Jordan (05-31-2009 10:20 AM).]

Robert E. Jordan
Member Rara Avis

since 2008-01-25

Posts 8541
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

6 posted 2009-05-31 09:36 AM

Thanks dear Margherita,

For reading and commenting.

This memory is from about 65 years ago, when I was about seven or eight. I don't know how hogs are slaughtered now. Us kids went on to other interests after a few years.

Love Bobby

Margherita
Member Seraphic

since 2003-02-08

Posts 22236
Eternity

7 posted 2009-06-01 12:41 PM

Would you believe it, dear Bobby, I was haunted by the cruelty of this way of killing last night and couldn't fall asleep ... hearing the hogs shrieking in my mind.
And see here I send you today's message by Neale Donald Walsh, which was just about this topic, strangely enough:

"On this day of your life, Margherita, I believe God wants you to know...

....that all that Life asks is that you move through Life

with a reverence for Life.

Yet this reverence for Life must be displayed in all things.

Even in the littlest things. Perhaps especially so.

For instance, if you choose to consume animals,

do you limit your purchases of flesh to cook

to only those suppliers who treat animals humanely?

Do you even know who those suppliers are?

Does this matter to you? How you treat other Life Forms

does matter.  It says something about how you want Life to be.

You see, we are creating all of this.  All of this.

Love, Your Friend....
(Neale Donald Walsh)"

I hope with all of my heart that cruelty on animals will not be tolerated anymore.

... of course there are humans who have been treated with equal horrifying cruelty!  Simply expressed: we must awaken to LOVE AND RESPECT FOR ALL BEINGS.

Love,
Margherita

"Love is the One who masters all things;
I am mastered totally by Love."
(Rumi)

Robert E. Jordan
Member Rara Avis

since 2008-01-25

Posts 8541
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

8 posted 2009-06-01 02:27 PM

Thanks dear Margherita,

I am a strong supporter for “LOVE AND RESPECT FOR ALL BEINGS”.

Witnessing what took place as a small child, had a profound effect on me.  I’m still writing about it.  Living so very near a commercial slaughterhouse in those days, we were drawn to the activities there.

BTW, the reason for the scalding was to loosen the bristles covering the hog’s body.  The bristles were then scraped off and used to make tooth brushes.

I hope that you will sleep well tonight.  Thank you for your concern for all beings, including us slaughterhouse kids.  I, for one, am concerned about you.  We were not hardened by the experience.

Love Bobby

Billie Cullimore
Member

since 2009-03-27

Posts 315

9 posted 2009-06-02 03:16 AM

Bobby, This work brought back a lot of memories for me. I was not reared in a city but on a farm in Utah, we had our own pigs, my dad was very particular about how his animals were kept and it was my job as a little girl to stand on the fence and scrub the backs of the pigs with a long handled brush and throw new straw on the floor. There was a truck with a boiler on it that came around to the farms and killed the pigs. But, my dad cut their throat first. When ever I saw that truck on my way home from school I would go the other way until I was sure it was gone.

Memories.

Billie C.

Robert E. Jordan
Member Rara Avis

since 2008-01-25

Posts 8541
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

10 posted 2009-06-02 12:25 PM

Thanks dear Billie,

Your Dad had the right idea.

At the slaughter house, the end men waited until the last to cut the hogs throat. It was a commercial, high volume slaughterhouse.

Love Bobby

LindsayP
Member Elite

since 2007-07-28

Posts 3410
Australia, Victoria

11 posted 2009-06-06 12:44 PM

Bobby, I find that rather hard to believe,
I was raised on a mixed farm and we killed our own pigs, but we never ever put them in hot water while they were alive. The first thing we did was either shoot them or stun them so there was no pain or squealing and then immediately push the knife straight into the pig's heart between it's front legs and let it bleed properly. No pain, no squealing.
The throat was not cut until the pig came out of the hot water and it's bristles were scraped off. It was then pulled up with the block and tackle where the pig was cut up into the appropriate portions. That was when the pig's head was cut off. If the water was the right temp they were very easy to scrape but if the water was too hot or too cold it was a very tedious job.
Sorry to be so long winded with my response. Another thing Bobby the RSPCA would heavily fine anyone treating a pig in that barbaric inhuman manner.

Lindsay

Robert E. Jordan
Member Rara Avis

since 2008-01-25

Posts 8541
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

12 posted 2009-06-06 09:24 AM

Thanks Lindsay,

Sorry, that's the way it was done back in ~1944.  I have a very good memory, and I don't spend my time making up horror stories.

This was not on a farm.  It was a commercial slaughter house in the city.

I'm a city boy, remember.  I wasn't hauled off to the country until I was in my teens.  My "country" experiences are in my book Muck.

Bobby

Joe Houck
Member

since 2001-04-23

Posts 324
california

13 posted 2009-06-06 05:13 PM

this has great imagery. It instantly reminded me of excerpts from "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair.

crazy things we do/have done.

Joe

Robert E. Jordan
Member Rara Avis

since 2008-01-25

Posts 8541
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

14 posted 2009-06-06 06:09 PM

Thanks Joe,

For reading, and your kind words.

I've never read "The Jungle", however you have aroused my interest.

Bobby

TinaTrivett
Senior Member

since 2006-07-15

Posts 569

15 posted 2009-06-07 03:25 PM

Sorry that you have those memories. This poem just reconfirms to me, that my choice to not eat meat was a good one.

Robert E. Jordan
Member Rara Avis

since 2008-01-25

Posts 8541
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

16 posted 2009-06-07 03:34 PM

Thanks dear Tina,

A vegetarian diet can be very healthy.

Love Bobby

kindredspirit
Member

since 2009-05-19

Posts 156

17 posted 2009-06-07 07:24 PM

i saw this as i read it, and wanted to close my eyes..
you write well. it left mixed emotions, but i definitely commend you.

Robert E. Jordan
Member Rara Avis

since 2008-01-25

Posts 8541
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

18 posted 2009-06-07 08:40 PM

Thanks dear Kindredspirit,

For your very kind words on the poem.

Welcome to the forum.

Love Bobby

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