when i was a child
our moroccan neighbors bought a lamb
he was cute, soft, and friendly
the kids named him jano
he became their pet
followed them around on the streets
played with them in the playground

jano became friends with my german shepherd asi
they would spend hours together
playing
licking each other
walking around
or just chilling quietly together

then passover has arrived
the slaughterer was called
jano was taken to the back yard
all the kids followed
as well as asi the german shepherd

jano’s four legs were tied together
he began crying
the kids were screaming
asi the dog had horrified look on her face
“what are they doing to my friend?”

the slaughterer made his prayer
then pulled out small sharp knife
and cut jano’s throat

jano’s soul began departing his gentle body
slowly sneaking out
through the bleeding throat

then the slaughterer began undressing jano
removing fur and skin
then taking out organs
and slicing chunks of muscle

as jano’s appearance was shifting from
that of a friendly lamb
into pieces of meat and piles of internal organs
the dog’s expression has been transforming
from that of horror and loss of a friend
into salivating mouth
and the begging looks of
“don’t forget to give me a piece too”
© 2004. All Rights Reserved.
Zemach Zohar Wilson, New York, April 2004