I did not know in China all animals were red

Both the thick cotton laundry baskets
and the bamboo cages have been made by the workers
at ‘The Palace’ :
grandmothers and mothers, uncles and boys
making school money,
dinner money
for the future.
For now.
Everyday.
But you know, the spaghetti thin wires and plastic cords come with.
And your butcher knives are bored and blunt with experience.
What’s the name for the electrocution device again?
What’s the name of that tool there for the skinning?
I don’t know. I have been too lazy.
One of these days I really have to start learning the names.
When in China, you drink Chinese tea and you work.
I did not know china had cobbled streets or yellow lights.
I did not know there were shops for cadeu and for rock and roll parties.
It is for you they wake up,
For you they speak of.

On the streets, the hi-tec grit mixes with the congealed blood and jam flesh;
Your 9-5 office job.
Picking up one after the other with sticks,
Legs split open like watermelon,
Testicles wired for slow death,
Thrown onto the heap of bloody carcasses
The sour milk on the slivered tongue, printed on jade eyes of some long haired,
Bulging with surprise and struggle.
I did not know China gave the world so much fashion,
I did not know in China all animals were red.

The handsome men will surely have cried at the sight
Of the screaming, of the pleading
Whilst one Alsatian after another dog of some unlucky long hair breed
Tied by his neck with some wire to the railings of the downtown warehouse
Stood, watching, tail down in quiet defeat, awaiting his turn.
He never gave up.
His tail was wagging
As the man, with butcher knife as big as my face
walked behind, sluggishly stabbing him, starting at the testicles.
Imagine his surprise then!

I will never forget the screams and alien sounds that came from his throat.
Skinning an Alsatian alive must take at least 15 minutes. Why?
Because the fuckers struggle so hard for their worthless life.
Hey, cut the guy some slack, he is jes doin’ his job! He’s got kids to feed.

Imagine his surprise
as he struggled for his life, kicking back his legs in a pathetic attempt to fight,
he took a bludgeon to the head with a good old fashioned hammer to settle him down.
Imagine his surprise, his half conscious seizure,
whilst the rest looked on awaiting their turn,
Imagine what he was thinking then
as the handsome man continued to skin him alive in life,
And still 15 minutes later whilst still alive,
His heart, still a little beat,
When all that was left was his eyelashes, his eyes
Not understanding this world. Why?
Did he still hate cats as dogs do?
He never gave up.
And the cats huddled together
Packed like tuna fish in pretty baskets
Fat like cushions for fur, fur: heavenly pillows
Of eggshell whites, burnt sienna, mahogany with coal black, copper and ginger,
Eyes like children, looking up
as one friend after another was pulled up and hung by its neck slowly.
It’s all for fur
For your pleasure
For the weather is cold and my body needs warmth.
I did not know in China cats put their arms around each other whilst lying down
for comfort, like humans do.