Painful Anguish
By Abbie Rogers
An Animal Rights Poem from All-Creatures.org

A scream pierces the blood-thick air
And echoes
From the corners of the tiny cages that
Line the walls,
Full of filth, and greed, and innocence.
The screamer writhes and twists
And tries to fight
The painful anguish coming from above.
Frantic eyes dart about the dark, grimy prison,
But instead of consolation,
There is only despair.
A once-beautiful ebony dog
Huddles in the back of her cage,
Brain damage evident in her blank, glazed eyes…
A beagle faces the soiled wall,
His head tipped, his body rocking, rocking…
A shepherd who still remembers her name
And still hopes,
Despite the wires sprouting from her head,
Whines softly…
The screamer snarls at the pain of the dirty needle,
Only to cower under a bruising fist.
A shock jolts his heart
Through the wires sticking from his chest
And the dog screams again, his face contorted in agony
Then his body crumples
And he lets out a final strangled moan.
The scientist jots a few notes on a clipboard
And goes out to lunch.