Still Unenlightened (Poetry)

In support of Compassion In World Farming’s campaign to ban cages

Welcome to the real dark ages
farm animals crammed tight in cages
babes to slaughter — lambs and calves
the rich man feasts, the poor one starves

We misuse Nature — twist the gene
advance mutation’s horror scene
pretend precautions are observed
the voice of conscience scarcely heard

We’re cruel, we’re callous, greedy, vile
intent on plunder we defile
this world we share along with all
the smarter creatures — great and small

We wreak destruction — hunt and kill
throughout the centuries we still
persist while wisdom’s never learnt
from history — books good as burnt

We pamper pets and visit zoos
but eat what animals we choose
inject them in laboratories
with drugs to cure man-made disease

Though claiming clever, man acts dumb
and blind believing he has come
so far since crawling out the sea
yet darkness rules and no one’s free