My First Pig Slaughter
Waimanalo, Oahu, HI


I watched my first pig slaughter.
It was strange to watch it die, and
I asked a lot of questions.
Killing a pig is like a good song.
Shoot between the eyes, slit throat, wait
Blanch in boiling water. Scrape off the hair and make its insides outside not where they are supposed to be where they are going to go.
The smell was vile, but
I still wanted to put my hand inside.
He was warm, but
I did not eat him.
Instead,
I watched him freeze
in a bucket of ice.