Gregory Corso

The Mad Yak
I am watching them churn the last milk they'll ever get from me.
They are waiting for me to die;
They want to make buttons out of my bones.
Where are my sisters and brothers?
That tall monk there, loading my uncle, he has a new cap.
And that idiot student of his -- I never saw that muffler before.
Poor uncle, he lets them load him.
How sad he is, how tired!
I wonder what they'll do with his bones?
And that beautiful tail!
How many shoelaces will they make of that!

http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/corso/onlinepoems.htm

Gregory Corso (1930-2001) was a member of the Beat Generation of literature. "The Beats" was a Post-world War II phenomenon that practiced anti-establishment, and visionary art. To most members of this generation, Buddhism was very important and they all had a great connection with nature. On the powerpoint it says that many of these poems follow the idea of "First thought, best thought!" and most of the poems referenced or were in response to political ideas of the time.

In Corso's poem, "The Mad Yak" there is definitely the connection to nature that is present in many works of the time. The poem talks about how people just use yaks and don't consider the effects it has on them. This commentary sheds light on the issues of mankind's cruelness through the juxtaposition of the monk's lack of care for anyone else, and the yak's compassion for his family.

There is a shift in the poem between lines 6 and 8, where the poem shifts from the yak's own issues to the issues of his family. The selflessness demonstrated here is supposed to contrast the selfishness shown by the human race and adds to the support of how cruel humans beings are.

I was curious as to whether or not there was certain significance of the yak....in some cultures the yak symbolizes ancient wisdom and an understanding of a higher purpose so that would make them more knowledgable than humans adding to the ideas. Also, they are considered loyal to their small group so that would also show the caring nature described in this poem.

And here is something interesting.....I googled "Buddhism and Yaks" to see if anything came up and turns out that in 2011 there was a documentary made, 108 Yaks: A Journey Of Love And Freedom, that is about 22 herders and porters that led 108 yaks through the mountains to some villagers who could take care of them. Animal liberation is common in Buddhism, thus relating back to the poem.

(http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/yaks-buddhism-and-the-soul/article3620678.ece)

If you are ever interested in learning some more stuff about yaks......here is a link to the documentary!! 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxBxS20qR5Q