By Jennifer Santana
Iowa City Branch
a bird in a cage
is a pretty thing to look at
fragile and small
fluttering here and there with quick bursts of energy
or sometimes sitting very still
gazing out beyond
those
golden
glistening
bars
the ones that promise protection
from a big unsafe world
in exchange
for one bird
soul
and I think of how the bird will live a while
fed
watered
sheltered
but still and always longing
to do that which she was perfectly designed
to do
and I wonder if she spends those still moments
in pain
buried in her feathers
trying with all her might
to pacify the place
where her bird soul
must have been
soaring through the sky
eternally existing
among clouds of white
but how
I wonder
can a bird who was born to fly
do anything
but die
eventually
fed
watered
sheltered
forever flightless
but still
a pretty thing to look at
True! If you love something, set it free! Remember the song, “White Bird”! Thank you for sharing your wonderful poem!
A powerful poem. The visuals say so much.
THIS POEM TUGS AT THE HEART STRINGS.
IT IS VERY WELL WRITTEN, VERY MOVING
I’D SAY AMONG THE VERY BEST I’VE READ
IN A LONG LONG TIME.
Sad but true fact about pretty birds in golden cages
I feel the same way any time I see a bird in a cage. Jennifer Santana has expressed the
thoughts many of us experience but seldom mention. Her poem is wonderful.
A very wonderful poem and don’t we all feel that way sometimes with our busy lives! Food for thought.