Words In a Cage

Words in a Cage

For too long now my words have been locked up in a cage
The key is out of reach
They have been stuffed down
And neatly stacked 
in tidy little piles
by the powers that be
Not politically correct
Not nice enough 
Not polished and pretty enough
So, they are thrown in the cage with bars on every side

The rage nicely hidden inside the constraints
Rage about injustice to children in residential schools
Rage about injustices to my fellow people
Rage about abuse of any kind
Political powers that continue
to misuse and rape the ones who elect them
rage about addiction in epidemic proportion
rage about slavery past, and today in the world
Inequality
Poverty
Damn cancer
Outrageous Covid
An epidemic that is taking away all control
Diseases without a cure
Floods
Global warming
Control gone wrong
The people who leave shopping carts 
in the middle of prime parking spots

These words inside this cage must find their way to freedom
Forget about the key…
They must start seeping through the cracks
Like a smoke that fills the air
And permeates the room
They must be spoken
The cage has reached capacity
The tidy stacks can hold no more
If the door will not open
It must be blown apart
Words are meant to be expressed
Chewed upon, written, and read
Spoken
Not hidden away in a cage
Grace Daub January 7, 2022
Copyright © | Year Posted 2022

Poem

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Leffanta Avatar
January 7, 2022 at 10:42 AM
My father was fond of saying, "Only peasants shout!", as the voice of reason is frequently obscured, so good thing you put your thoughts in print where they can be savoured over centuries . . . .
Daub Avatar
January 9, 2022 at 6:49 AM
I think your father was a wise man. Often times yelling in the streets is not effective, although I understand this rage. SOMETIMES quietly, one person at a time we must speak truth! Thanks for your beautiful comments. God bless you!
Ahmed Avatar
January 7, 2022 at 10:16 AM
Excellent humanist poem! Loved it, moved me! everywhere in the world the voice of freedom is caged! Thanks - Marshall.
Daub Avatar
January 9, 2022 at 6:52 AM
You are correct my friend, there is so much that restricts our freedoms. We must speak up against injustice but effectively. The cages have to open. Thanks for reading and commenting, it is very appreciated! Grace
West Avatar
January 7, 2022 at 9:45 AM
I agree words are made to be spoken. Not hidden or made quiet. This is why poetry was made was popular in the "old days" cuz they were smart enough to realize that words matter and they can't be caged. That, someone, had to be brave enough to speak the words to write them. Thanks for not letting your words be locked up.
Daub Avatar
January 9, 2022 at 6:55 AM
Thanks for reading and commenting Rachel. We really all need to speak up when we see injustice. There is so much to speak up about these days. Thanks, Grace
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