Holy cow

I am not a beef eater,
I am only a leaf eater;
I don't consider the cow bovine.
I consider it something divine:
I respect the holy cow,
Before it I bend and bow,
I have taken a sort of a vow,
I don't know why and how.

I am not a beef eater,
I am only a leaf eater;
Once the cow gets dry,
Why do you make it cry?
You make it look very bony,
And weak thin and puny,
Why make it eat rags and paper,
If you are a really caring keeper?

I am not a beef eater,
I am only a leaf eater;
Why allow it to loiter and roam,
Without proper shelter or a home?
Why do you milk it to the last drop,
And allow its calf to live on slop?
Why not give it a better health,
Without using it to make some wealth?

I am not a beef eater,
I am only a leaf eater;
Hand it not to slaughterwala;
If you can, put it in a goshala.
Treat the cow as your asset,
Don't allow it to sweat and fret,
Allow it to die a decent death,
Before putting it under mother earth.

I am not a beef eater,
I am only a leaf eater;
Whether it is a holy cow,
Or a sheep, goat or sow,
I am not for any killing,
Be it so , if God willing,
Ahimsa is my main creed,
An ideal that is noble indeed.

I am not a beef eater,
I am only a leaf eater;
Some may curse me for my view,
But i am sure they are only few.
I am an unprejudiced octogenarian,
Believing in being a vegetarian,
I value every life on earth as holy,
Though you may not agree with me wholly.