Losing my Appetite
Espying the sprockets as they
pulverize and mull raw mash into
bite-sized blobs
then extrude gruel into
moulded intestinal casings
to become a refined sausage product,
I lose any appetite to taste
frankfurteresque concoctions as long as I live.
While my fellow onlookers may be
bedazzled by the efficient machinery and
the gyrating, thrusting contortions
of the multi-pronged process;
my own genteel insides—
churning, fuming, and gurgling—
become sick at the inkling
of attempting to consume
such pre-masticated slop,
even in a mustard- or relish-smothered bun.
Uncovering a golden ticket will
usher you into the factory,
but can you contemplate your reflection
after you acknowledge what is
glooping in the sludge?
We may, unbeknownst to ourselves,
be cannibalizing
our priceless futures with every bite.
How I wish these stanzas merely
alluded to Upton’s eye-popping exposé
instead of serving as a bitter anthem for
glancing behind the curtain to
uncloak a wily, midwestern wizard.
This is how unbridled,
unquestioned power operates.
Withstanding the heat could be
readily endured if the kitchen weren’t
also a crime scene.
Matthew Ratz is a poet, writer, speaker, and nonprofit leader in the Washington, DC metro area. Matthew is the Executive Director of Passion for Learning, Inc., a nonprofit focused on closing opportunity gaps for low-income students in STEM, filmmaking, and financial literacy. He is also a professor of English Composition at Montgomery College, has authored several books, and has appeared in poetry anthologies. Additionally, his TEDx talk available on YouTube has garnered over 11K views. Matthew channels his extensive experience and unwavering commitment to inclusivity and equity to make a positive impact on the world.
Featured image “Hot dog car in New York city” photographed and uploaded by Ermell to be licensed via creative commons 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
