Turkey Day

Robin Raven
I met a very extraordinarily important person not too long ago.
He's one of the most friendly of the beings I've ever been able to greet.
He looked straight at me with big, sweet sad eyes as if to say hello.
My heart is broken that most people would dismiss him as only meat.

A person is defined as a self-conscious or rational being.
Learn a little more about turkeys before this Turkey Day.
How can it be that with the same vision that we are seeing
How these animals can be murdered, without an ethical say?

Turkeys may glide a mile without ever flapping their wings.
Made of flesh and bone, with beating hearts and thinking minds.

Turkeys rush from pain, just like we do.
Turkeys hearts beat fast sometimes, just like ours do.
Turkeys protect their young, just like you should.
Turkeys love to run, just like I should.
Turkeys want to live, just like we do.

They could beat a human in any old marathon race.
(Wild turkeys can run a whole 18 miles per hour.)

Turkey fight for their life if given half a chance.

What right do I have to say this, being myself a sinner?
I know that animals deserve the right to live and be.

Who are you to play God, taking their life that's still meant to be lived?
Packing their decaying corpses to bring as dinner.

On what street did those turkey legs long to be roaming today?
Not sitting in a murderous mouth as helpless prey.

I met a very extraordinarily important person not too long ago.
He's one of the most friendly of the beings I've ever been able to greet.
He looked straight at me with big, sweet sad eyes as if to say hello.
My heart is broken that most people would dismiss him as only meat.

Turkey's cries can be heard over a mile away.
Are they calling out to you this Thanksgiving Day?

Published by Robin Raven - Featured Contributor in Beauty and Lifestyle

Robin Raven is a writer for magazines, newspapers, books and websites. She regularly updates RobinRaven.com. Current and past clients include "Act'ionLine" for Friends of Animals, "USA Today," ABC, NBC, "The...  View profile

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