Letter to Ciera

I found this poem as I was looking around on the Kind Life forums. It's a poem written from a vegan mommy to her baby daughter, and I thought it was so touching, funny, and just plain beautiful.

Letter To Ciera by Heather Leughmyer

You’ll never watch an elephant standing on her head
You will see amazing acrobats and painted clowns instead.

You’ll never color Easter eggs or eat a “Happy” Meal
Instead you’ll give pigs belly rubs – You’ll know chickens dream and feel.

The clamor from the ice cream truck won’t be music to your ears
You will know your Soy Delicious caused no suffering or tears.

You may hear a gentle gobble as you softly stroke a turkey
And give thanks that she’s alive as you’re eating your Tofurky.

While other kids buy leather shoes and eat at Chuck E. Cheese
You’ll be kissing cows and feeding goats and saying “soy please!”

Being different can be hard I know - This world is often cruel
Maybe you’ll be laughed at by the other kids at school.

But compassion is a vital gift that too few share with others
And your heart will not be filled with guilt the way it plagues your mother’s.

So don’t ever be embarrassed or ashamed because you care
You’ll be uniquely beautiful with an empathy that’s rare.

And when you see a rescued lamb and touch his thick warm fleece
You’ll feel no sadness or remorse – You can look at him in peace.

What took so long for me to learn, I’ll start teaching you from birth
And your footprint will be much tinier on this fragile earth.

Comments

Gracesmom said…
That is beautiful!!! Thanks for sharing, I had not seen that on TKL yet :)
Ms. Dahman said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ms. Dahman said…
While doing a search, I came across this post. Thought you'd like to know that Ciera, the girl who this poem is about, just got named 'Cutest Vegan Kid' in a contest by Peta Kids! She's now 5 and has been vegan for life! She's even helped me leaflet a few times at a local college! She's definitely a little cutie with a BIG heart!
http://petakids.com/contestCutestVegKid-Winners.asp