THE LAST DINNER
i was thirteen/ sitting in my mother's town house/
watching a documentary/ on the harp seal slaughter/
men with clubs & hooks/ mothers & the black orbs
of pups/ the bellowing wind across the ice floe/ the
shock of belted life dragged & twitching/ & the
tragic mothers thumping along the crooked lines
of blood/
i stumbled from the loungeroom/ my hands
covering my forehead/ this is the murder of me/ i
climbed the stairs & locked myself in the shower/
i turned on the freezing water/ my thick clothes
sloppy on my body/ my mother's voice: don't dwell
on it/ coming up after me/ dragging me down the
arctic plughole/
for hours i sobbed/ my body lifted
high up on the hook of humankind/ my split forehead
sliding down the frosted glass/ i cast off my clothes
& threw them outside/ i heard them splat on the
bathroom tiles/ a knock & my mother's voice through
the locked door/ coral are you alright?/ no i am
dying/
i accused her of giving birth to me/ & of
watching the documentary through cold & distant
eyes/ i said: the death of the seal is my death/
later that night/ the last dinner was shared with
my family/ then a scorching brand came down on my
rump/ & the froth came streaming from my mouth/
& i rejected my serving of flesh saying: i have been
lead to my own slaughterhouse/ in my youth i have
been taught to eat myself/ i left the table knowing
of my murder/ & they continued eating as i rushed
from fridge to freezer/ & just as i predicted/ there
i was in the frozen boxes/ all cut up, disguised
& packaged/
& so i fell kicking & blubbering in the
throes of compassion/ in the western suburbs of
sydney/ they are eating me/ at 1/10 reilly street
liverpool/ jammed between their teeth/ life is
eating life/ & i am viewing my own death/ within
the mouths of my hungry family/
coral are you all right?/
no/ the milk has become my blood & the animal flesh
my body/ i am your closest documentary of unjust
slaughter & still you are chewing/ so change the
channel/ before you feel yourself eating my heart/
before you know that it's your own hearts you are
eating |
