Vegan Poetry

The ginger cats

In memory of Fred and Hugo, two ginger kittens rescued from Broummana, Lebanon

Scratch my legs, if you may,
Give this sensation back to me,
If only one more time,
One last time,
Indefinitely,
Freddy,
My Freddy Fred,
My Ginger cat.
Scratch my legs, one more time.
I want to feel your claws against my skin,
My Ginger cat.
I want to hear your purrs,
Your funny noises.
I want to see you dig in the sand,
One last time,
But not to be buried,
No, not to be buried.
But to see you play.
Stay!
Scratch my legs, one more time.
Don’t leave me.
Come sit on my lap,
Tell me how it all started,
Remind me,
Cuddle with me.
I want to feel the warmth of your breath,
Against my face,
Just like when you were just a kitten,
And I used to carry you around,
In the stable, in the woods, in the arena,
Just carry you around and feel,
Your love, your softness, your beating heart,
My Ginger cat,
Fred,
Scratch my legs, one more time.
One last time,
Just give me one last time,
To carry you around,
But worry not that I may ever let you go,
You are and will always be my favorite,
Purring friend,
My shoulder to cry on.
How? How did it happen?
How did I let you just suffocate,
Just like that.
I can’t catch my breath,
I just wish I could have taken your pain away,
And been more present.
I’m sorry.
I’m dying.
I’m lying,
Here
Thinking of you.
Thinking of us.
Thinking about the future I had for you.
I wanted to take all of you with me,
To some place safe,
Some place you could truly call home.
A safe haven.
A heaven on earth,
Not one in the sky.
There are always upsides to every story.
Broummana.
Around four years ago,
Flowers were just starting to bloom,
I went with my lover and as he went vroom,
I saw your face for the first time.
Your angelic, ginger and shy kitten face,
I saw you from under the car,
Which served as a shade.
Hugo was there, and a couple other siblings of yours.
No mother in sight.
Picked you up in a crate along with Hugo,
And there we went…
Long story short,
You were one special gem,
In my mediocre life,
You made me laugh for four years,
And now you
You have my heart,
You have my soul.
Forever, Hugo and you shall live in my
deepest thoughts and sweetest memories,
I love you unconditionally.
Until we meet again,
Only then, will I be happy.

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Dogs, those special beings

Somehow, I end up making a bud in all my trips. I make an instant connection and it always turns out to be mutual unlike with humans. We don’t need a language to speak. I can read her eyes and she can read my expressions and we speak for hours. We have this special mutual understanding I always miss with humans.

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Yara Zalzal is a Lebanese writer, editor, translator, and lifelong advocate for animals. Her journey toward veganism began in 2011 during a trip to the Alps, where she encountered free-ranging cows for the first time. Observing their gentle curiosity and individuality, she realised that every animal deserves a life free from harm and exploitation. This moment, along with herbrother’s influence, led her to embrace veganism and dedicate her life to animal rights.

For years, Yara has rescued and cared for countless animals, offering them the love and protection they were denied. However, she believes that storytelling is just as powerful as direct action. Through her creative writing, she seeks to give a voice to the voiceless, using poetry and prose to challenge perceptions and inspire compassion. Her work blends activism with artistry, advocating for a world where animals are seen as individuals, not commodities.

Now, as she works to establish an animal rights nonprofit in Lebanon, Yara continues to fight for a future where justice extends to all species. Surrounded by her rescued senior dogs, mischievous cats, and three adorable (just as worthy as other animals) goats, she is reminded every day why this fight matters.