The Caged Bird Poem by Laura Greene

I once saw a bird who stole the light from the sun
And wore it as a coat to make the world as bright
I once saw a man who took blackness from the darkest night
And forced it to take shape of an onyx prison

The bird must live in the cage which is completely empty
Except for his cellmates gloom and despair

Frantic yellow bouncy ball
All day hurling from wall to wall
Desperate to find any crack, hole or flaw
Some way- anyway- to awake from this recurring nightmare
But he knows and won't admit there's none
Except for the one that will take a few years to come

Searing screech of angry cars
Leering buildings, obelisks of boredom
Are the same as the gentle voice of a murmuring brook
And lush jade trees growing so tall and proud
When you're looking out through unbreakable bars

The brighter the sun shines outside
The darker the shadow the bars do caste
Why do they imprison this harmless creature?
To keep the bird locked in or lock everything else out?
It doesn't matter, the cage is open!

His spirit soars out of the cage and out of the window
Flying, flying, flying away in the streets of frost
The angry and scared screams of his owners and captors
Fading, fading, fading into a silent whisper

The air outside those protecting, imprisoning bars
Is a lot harsher and colder than he thought it would be
But what does it matter? He's free! He's free!

In elation he sings with all his heart
Which is drumming a melody which gets slower and slower
Like all things, he realises freedom's never free
It comes with a heavy price to pay
And like lightning, from heaven he drops

He drifts softly down on peace's gentle winds
Falling to his inevitable end
He feels no fear or regret as he falls
Just acceptance, like he's leaving life's thrall
He sings a final song as his world fades away
The taste of freedom was worth even his death