huffing and puffing
calf head emerged
squeezed between front hooves
thin tongue extended
not yet breathing
mother cow exhausted
two-headed being
farmer jumps in the pen
pulls the calf out
sticks fingers in nostrils
pulls mucus out
drags the wet calf in front of mother cow
rubs his hand in the slime coating the calf
sticks his hand in front of the mother
who licks it
the chemicals lock in
the body’s locked in
afterbirth still dangling in a sac from her ass
she scrambles to her feet
to cover her calf with more licks
calf blinking sleepily
beneath the hand and tongue
of farmer and cow
under the lights
circled by a crowd
hog maw 