in the distance
the bullet connects like a sting
the bullock slumps in the paddock
in hock deep grass
the hunter lays down the gun
settling the scope gently
before sprinting knife drawn
to cut the throat and bleed the beast out
a ceremony played in silence
the disconnect between sight and sound
leads my four year old son
to report the scene as seen
that cow just fell over
an innocence not even
these events could extinguish
the hunter controls
his pulse as he pulls the trigger
his chest constricts
the hunter fears
the quarry stands in blissful
ignorance
will you eat what you kill
the beast winched
onto the truck
deck slick with blood
slithering
then strung up
stripped of hide
eviscerated and butchered into portions
are you prepared to kill what you eat