Waiting for the Knife

Be happy,

they tell me,

while we wait 

for the knife

Piles of food

dumped in

front of us

to fatten us

for the knife

Our children

have disappeared

They’ve already 

met the knife

Our babies’ milk

is taken from us

Until it slows,

then the knife

So many of us

packed together

in line 

for the knife

But be happy,

they tell me

while I wait

for the knife

Written October 2, 2019