A standard farming practice wherein a baby is starved, stuffed, and returned to its mother. Her body releases oxytocin and is forced to produce milk.

When a calf dies quick

they gather up the limbs and bring it in.

 

Hidden from the moon

they unstitch the body from groin to throat.

 

They wait and watch while

blood drips from the ruck of organ and bone.

 

Cradled and carried,

she is reunited with her baby.

 

She recognises

their parasite parenthood. Their skin-child.

 

Weeping over earth,

she feels it churned to mud beneath her grief.

 

She knows her baby

is dead. She feels it echo in her rib.

 

Stars to skeleton,

the echo can’t silence the call for milk

 

drained from the doll, turned

to profit by her body’s betrayal.

 

There was milk enough,

but death came without murmur. After all,

 

when a calf dies quick,

they gather up the limbs and bring it in.∎

 

Words by Noah Mitchell. Art by Libby Peet.