Analysis of Emotional Cattle

Joe Strickland 1986 (Hobbysville, SC)



we all do it,
every last one of us.

we graze on feelings,
like cattle in a field,
our herders,
unseen,
yet their presence felt.
they dine upon
our love,
a tender steak,
often rare,
our hope,
a rib,
its meaty flavor
sweet.

they savor our despair,
a liver's taste,
our laughter,
brisket,
roasted in their flame.
they relish our hate,
a heart's dark beat,
and our orgasms,
sweetbreads,
their desire's game.

this is but
a theory,
we may say,
a notion
that our minds
conjure and spin.
but in our hearts,
a whisper haunts
the day,
that we are cattle,
subject to their kin.  

we all do it,
every last one of us.


Scheme AB xxxxxxxxcxxde cxdfgxexbg fxhxxixxhxi AB
Poetic Form
Metre 1111 1001111 11110 110001 1010 01 11101 1101 101 0101 101 101 01 11010 1 1101001 011 1010 10 10011 110101 0111 010100 1 111 111 010 111 010 1101 1001 10101 0101 01 11110 01111 1111 1001111
Closest metre Iambic dimeter
Characters 631
Words 155
Sentences 8
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 2, 13, 10, 11, 2
Lines Amount 38
Letters per line (avg) 12
Words per line (avg) 3
Letters per stanza (avg) 91
Words per stanza (avg) 23

About this poem

The idea was inspired to me from a science fiction novel I read recently. The poem suggests that humans are being metaphorically "grazed upon" by unseen forces, and that our emotions are controlled by said forces.

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Written on March 12, 2024

Submitted by JoeStrickland on March 12, 2024

Modified by JoeStrickland on March 12, 2024

47 sec read
17

Joe Strickland

Writer from South Carolina. Recently signed first publishing contract and is waiting for release date of first collection of poetry. I've never written a poem while completely sober. You can follow me on Twitter/X @JoeStricklandAU more…

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