Ready For My Close-Up
I let death happen
by proxy
if I didn’t eat the meat
wear the shoes
would their treatment
become more humane
<>
do I take a stand
no more meat
nothing with a face
search out alternatives
plants may have faces
that I don’t recognize
so that makes it fine
<>
the air that I breathe
is teaming with life
the water I drink
is alive with microorganisms
that may have faces
my vision isn’t that good
<>
atomic microscopes
focus so finite
I can’t recognize anything
maybe that squiggle shimmer
darting around other shimmers
is afraid of being seen
shamed by our look
not ready for their close-up
<>
they aren’t animals
are they
is my decision that they don’t count
relevant to anything
other than another brick
in a sense of superiority
the smug comfort
of valuing all life
<>
whereas people like me
who still eat meat
will always be ethically
self-indulgent creeps
who should be shamed
denied our close-up
then shot
On one level what this piece is about is pretty clear. I have no animosity with vegans, their choices or even their motivations. Years ago a friend of mine once complained about how hard it was to source ‘vegan’ shoes on the internet. He wanted footwear that contained no leather or petroleum byproducts. He finally found hand-woven sandals made from reeds.
But he clearly had a computer or smart phone to a access the web to make his search. I was tempted to ask him if he’d ever tried to source electronics that were ethically produced. What petroleum by-products are in our smartphones? I haven’t seen wooden ones yet 🙂 Is anything we use ethical?
I occasionally go into ‘natural’ food stores for spices. I see signs that proclaim organically grown, ethically sourced etc then look at the prices. Clearly only the well-to-do can afford to save the planet with dietary change. Yes, I am a bit of a cynic when it comes to the motivations behind much of this pr. Coffee shops brag about their sustainable coffee growers but if that coffee isn’t selling with that label they’ll find another one for our hand-crafted beverages.
The piece also touches on the smarminess that some planet savers use in announcing their love for ‘natural’ while you are indulging in your unnatural lifestyle of range-free chicken. It is similar to non-smokers distain for smokers, or married homo’s who are examples of good queers. Give me a break & while you’re at it I’ll have hamburger with fries.
TOpoet 