Marrow

By Jenni O’Rourke

When it’s cut wrong, it’s useless.
It yields small amounts.
Bones are heavy,
charged by the weight
despite deficiency within.

What we want is rare.
Slaughtered meat torn off
cracked skeletons,
and scraped innards of strength
are all the rage at gastropubs.

We need it for our own
satiety, white count, and stimulation.
Red truffles inside of ribs and
tibias taste great when made into butter.

Glory found in slurping guts from
spinal columns through straws.
Moving mandibles Yelp from the
high umami heavens,
but during social hour only.

Cells that can be used to clone cats
in Korea or sheep in England are used
as garnish on over-priced burgers.
A thing that can be manipulated
to save lives: boiled into soup.

Luxurious savagery served hot.
What else are we to do with the
inactive gelatin?
We are no better than vultures:
they can’t eat their prey unless it’s
killed for them.