Because Of Me Animals Suffer Poem by Francis Duggan

That I condemn cruelty to animals may seem hypocritical since I am one who often eat meat
And many animals slaughtered for human consumption those responsible for them mistreat
And since I am not a vegetarian I am not in a position to say
That I am not responsible for cruelty to animals when I am in an indirect way.

When I see a truck load of pigs, sheep or fowl or cattle bound for slaughter a bit of private guilt I feel
That in some day in the near future they may be a part of my meal
And to think that before their deaths they have to suffer and feel so stressed and full of fear
It makes me seem quite hypocritical that's how to me it would appear.

The only way that I might help them and spare a few of them from suffering and pain
Is to live on vegetable matter and from all meat products abstain
But I'm not one who backs up his conscience and so hypocritical indeed am I
And because of me animals suffer and because of me animals must die.

Of cruelty by humans to animals far too often we read of and hear
And that I should be one to condemn such to be honest does not seem sincere
For I am an incurable meat eater so my views on cruelty to myself I should keep
Though I do feel for the slaughter bound animals the fowl, pigs and cattle and sheep.