How would you like it if right from the start,
Right from the day of your birth,
You were never allowed to have even one glimpse
Of this beautiful glorious Earth.

Not ever a glimpse of the sun or the sky
The grassy green meadows or trees,
Deprived of all knowledge of beauty and colour
Of raindrops and sweet summer breeze.

Well this is the wanton and cruel deprivation
Imposed upon millions of hens,
Imposed upon chickens in windowless warehouses
Pigs and their piglets in pens.

Not permitted to know even if there's a world
Regardless of what shape or form,
Outside of the cobwebby, gloomy grey prison,
The hell into which they've been born.

But there does come a day when some do get a chance
To get a wee glimpse of the sky,
The dazzle of sunshine or grassy green field
As their transport goes hurtling by.

The sad irony is that this day of their life,
This day when their hearts should be filled,
Is the day that they're crammed into lorries and crates,
And driven away to be killed.