bird in a cage, in two parts

Cold, blocking bars
and eyes
and words.
They tell you lies.
You believe them
because
t
he bars
a re
in
th
e
wa y
and then everything's
dis to rted.

Someone told me:
"Don't expect them -
or her -
to believe
or behave
like you do."
So I'm not surprised -
really -
but still sad.

This is probably
the only warning
you'll get
about the vigil.

Freedom -
warning or no -
is always glorious.

* * *

The people have been gathering around your cage, and you're a wounded bird. They're sick, those people. Sometimes I think it's sick as in demented, but I have to remind myself it's sick as in sick -- ill, infected, unhealthy. But they tell you lies, and you believe them because you're in a cage. A cage! -- and you have bars blocking truth.

I want to see you break free. I know it's hard because once you break through the bars of your own cage, there's all those people.

We're planning a vigil for freedom. For your freedom. It's been "help," "help," "help." And I guess it still is "help," but we're gonna shout it louder, shout it longer, shout it together.

For freedom!