Poem - The Passing of the Mad Cow

[Vio]

Taking a Creative Writing course in college this year.
My first homework was just to write something, so here it is.
Another epically long poem by Vio, naturally.


THE PASSING OF THE MAD COW
VIO AMETHYST

The sun had drifted past the hills
That fateful summer afternoon
The sky was clear, the wind at rest
And nightfall would come all too soon

The barren earth beneath her hooves
Cried out in pain for all to hear
Her hellish growl from deep inside
Warned that no man should come near

"The cow's gone mad!" the Farmer cried
All the townsfolk came to see
What their once most precious cow
Had now come to be

The Mad Cow bellowed in her rage
To the crowd within the town
"She can't be milked" the Sheriff said
"She's got to be put down!"

A young lass stepped up with a knife
The Mad Cow broke her thigh
The farmer then tried with his axe
They say he lost his eye

We all agreed her life to end
Yet no one could know how
Then from the crowd, my voice was heard
"I shall kill the old Mad Cow!"

A silence fell upon the town
They cleared a path up to the pen
With empty hands, without a word
I stepped into the Mad Cow's den

The gate swung shut, and with it came
A deathly chill upon the breeze
Her gaze upon my chest, I stopped
And fell upon my knees

"O Mad Cow" I cried aloud
"To bring you harm I do not seek!
"I have no blade, do as you wish,
"But first, I beg you, let me speak!"

She held her ground to contemplate
I saw the madness in her eyes
To my relief she did not charge
The Mad Cow to me then replied

"Foolish child to enter here,
"Save if you wish to meet your end
"Speak your words, and speak them strong,
"For you shall never speak again."

My heart raced within my chest
Though my breath was calm and deep
And after but a moment's pause
I slowly rose up to my feet

I took a step towards the cow
She growled as I drew near
I looked her in the eye and said
"I speak for none but you to hear."

A few steps more, before I stopped
Just below the Mad Cow's chin
The mighty beast stared down at me
I felt her breath upon my skin

"O Mad Cow," I said to her,
"For this I have been truly blessed
"To speak with one such as yourself
"Before we both are laid to rest

"Ashamed I am that I spoke not
"For all the years that I stood by
"And watched our demons take their toll
"And never answered to your cry

"There is no greater punishment
"For me than to know
"That pain and shame we all have caused
"Has come to shape you so

"Though when they said that it must end
"In silence I could not remain
"I may not right what has been wronged
"But to try else, I can't refrain

"In truth I have come to confess
"The burden which you bear
"Is no stranger to myself
"It is a burden that I share

"In differences we are the same
"So together let us cry
"For I also share this curse
"We both are Mad Cows, you and I.

"A promise, all I have to give
"Within you I confide
"No more shall you suffer alone
"For I shall be here at your side

And with these words I raised my hand
To rest upon her bare neck's skin
And for the first time felt her warmth
And her heartbeat from within

She did not move, nor did she speak
A single tear fell from her eye
To my shoulder she brought her head
And rested with a lonely sigh

I held the Mad Cow in my arms
And felt her anguish fade away
Two Mad Cows were understood
There was nothing more to say

Her legs gave way, her body fell
I knelt beside the fallen cow
She placed her head upon my lap
Knowing that her time was now

I kept my promise till the end
And held her till the cow grew cold
Though what she said with her last breath
No one save I shall ever know

I stood again as night had come
The town spoke not - they had not heard
They parted as I left the pen
And started home without a word

After years of rage and hate
The Mad Cow's end had come to pass
Yet before she left this world
The Mad Cow had found peace at last

[Mojo]

you have brain problems

[Owen]

Saw the title and knew exactly who this would be from.

[BeeBee]

What Owen said and TL;DR.

[Keith]

tldr but i didnt know it'd be you vio

[Al]

You could make this into a children's book and illustrate it or hire an illustrator, and publish/sell it. :P

Or at least a different poem, not about a mad cow lol.