by Margery Hannah
I am only a person
tall and plain, tongue maimed long
ago when cow bells were ringing.
I was in love with those big
eye chocolates
reminding me of me.
But a million flies filtered
filth just to land on me. They
knew the tin bell would ring
long before it did.
I kept loving that cow
even though the cow
was too foolish to love me.
Look at me, dumb cow
I screamed in my mind
and finally through sliced lips
still dripping with milk.
The cow didn’t hear me
so I milked her
She ate my grass
I milked her
She stole my glory
I milked her.
She kept drawing flies from
every side of the slum sea.
I milked her until she learned
I am just a person
tall and plain, but honest.
Vertical, her skin beneath
my dirt feet.
Text and illustration © Margery Hannah 2004-2022 All Rights Reserved.
