Quadrupeds-
Spotted, striped, coloured
And plain;
Tricked, trapped, captured
And slain.

Guided only by
Intrinsic instinct,
Aided only by muscle-power,
Become extinct
encountering Man’s fire-power.

Forest-dwelling, friendly, ferocious,
Faithful and the domestic-
Maimed, shot and slaughtered-
Bite the dust.

Re-cycled as:
Furs, bags, foot-wear and jackets
Drugs, aphrodisiacs, soups and chops;
Bottled, canned and in packets,
Stocked by all leading shops.

Quadrupeds-
The un-involved and the meek.
What, if they could speak?