Marie Popol you are accused

Of slaughtering a farmer

With his own shotgun

How do you plead

I do not recognise this court

That is of no matter how to you plead

I milked the cow for over a year

Ankle deep in liquid shit

I stole its milk for profit

The calf suffered because of this

And was later painfully slaughtered

So that the wealthy of this town

Might dine in style

I was close to the heart of this creature

Which was shattered

I found this tragic

And then the farmer dismissed me

Because I would not grant him favours

It was as I was walking across the fields

That I saw a raging pyre in the mid distance

A pestilence had overcome the farm

Due to the filthy conditions within

I watched the pyre take hold

Of the carcass of my holy cow

It was destroyed in front of me

Alone in a sea of flames

I wept bitterly for the rest of this day

And then shot the farmer to death

The following morning

As the sun illuminated the valley

Guilty or Not Guilty

Ask the farmer

Guilty or Not Guilty

Ask the cow

Guilty or Not Guilty

Ask the calf

Guilty or Not Guilty

I ate of its heart

It tasted bitter

Guilty or Not Guilty

Do with me

What you will

Marie Popol




Translated from the French