With Sincere Apologies (Poetry)

I apologize to every little pig
I’ve ever eaten
every chicken leg I’ve ever gnawed
although ‘sorry’ cannot sweeten
the awful truth I’ve chewed away
a flock, a herd or more
down all the years that I ate meat
so thoughtlessly before
I started to feel guilty
and I had to face the fact
whatever lay there on my plate
its ghost was staring back

at me who picked its hapless flesh
away from skin and bone
and relished every tender steak
no passing pity shown
or compassion for the creature
solely born and bred
for food then after a short life
was off to slaughter led

Now I feel remorse — I really do
it’s heavy on my soul
the stain of blood is hard to shift
bad conscience takes its toll
but true conversion rules my tongue
a meat-free diet cleans
and purges — every tastebud turned
I’ve learned to love my greens!