She Follows the Birds to Freedom

Cages Have Lessons

While I long to be free,
while I long to finally stretch these wings,
This cage has given me opportunities that could never have come from the sky.
I have learned to see clearly,
fix my eyes on things that matter,
I have been taught compassion and understanding in ways that being airborne would never accomplish,
I have learned to see the ground
so that I might appreciate the sky,
In having my wings clipped
I have learned the suffering of others
and seen them overcome.
I have been given hope by people
who I would never have anticipated, people who I never thought had enough to share,
and in turn I have learned to give hope back.
I am learning honesty,
learning that it feels better
and lets my smile stretch without fear of being labeled fake and having it be true.
The cage is lonely but it is not idle,
there is a lesson everyday
and maybe that is the secret to becoming free, learning enough lessons so that it becomes
the key to freedom
and the sky will at last have one more bird
that can fly with purpose
and the knowledge that this time
it has work to do.
SK