Death By Gun Poem by Francis Duggan

The hare raced from a clump of grass
His hounds went in pursuit
He raised his gun and shot the creature dead
In us all lurks the brute.

The hare designated as vermin he said
By the Laws of the State
And so he obeyed the Law
And decided on the creature's fate.

He quickly raised his gun
And shot the defenceless dead
And when asked was he sorry for what he had done
Why should I be he said.

The Laws of Nature not written by Humans
So should a creature die
Because Human Laws say it should?
We all live with a lie.

I too am a hypocrite
Since I too consume meat
And others put to death
The creatures that I eat.

He smiles as he tells his mates
I shot to death a hare today
The hounds were chasing it
Kill it the Law did say.

I did not say to him
A wrong thing you did do
Each to their own belief
To Human Laws he is true.

I would not shoot the hare
If it were up to me
I have seen dogs kill a hare
A cruel thing for to see.

I heard the dying hare shriek
Such pain in his wild cry
Something I will recall
Until the day I die.

At least the hare died fast
And the man enjoyed his fun
The hounds were chasing it
And he killed it with his gun.