By Ivy Lynn

A bird waits in her cage.
She sings the words she's taught.
Even with the door ajar,
Escape,
She must not.

The birds in the window mock her,
They hoot at the poor bird's fate.
What kind of bird
thinks the world
Is no further than one spot?

"Listen to those birds,"
Man says,
"Listen to their song!
How much better you are,
My love,
Because you don't sing along!

The song you sing is much grander,
Their hoots can't compare!
You were never meant to hoot like them,
They envy you; that's why they stare.

You see,
I picked you special,
Few birds get such a great life.
Safe from guns,
Safe from cars,
Safe from windows,
Safe from cats,
Who would give you such a fright!

I saw you,
So I took you in,
And taught you how to sing!
I gave you this gilded cage,
For you to stay with me.

How blessed you are,
My dear bird!
It's obvious to see!
You live such a blessed life,
And it's all thanks
to me."

"You should be out there."
Purred the Cat,
As he lay on the window ledge.
"You should be free like them,
For you see,
The Man means not
What he says."

"And how can I trust you?"
Chirped the bird,
Who stood on the cage's edge,
"Should I fall,
You would run to eat me!
So,
I shan't leave here at all!"

"Poor foolish bird,"
Laughed the Cat,
"For surely you must know,
Man only keeps me here to scare you,
My presence is all for show."

"You mean,
You won't eat me?"
She asked.

"No,
I'd help you get away.
I can never have my dinner,
If it's always locked in a cage."

"So you will eat me!"
She cried,
Suddenly filled with rage.
"Why would I ever trust something,
That only considers me its prey!"

This made the big cat chuckle,
As he licked his large, dark paws.

"I forgot,"
He purred,
"You trust the Man,
And take HIM at HIS word.
But,
Poor bird,
You have never left your cage,
So you trust what you've heard.

You are stuck in this cage,
Till the end of days.
Not much like me,
but you can't see
that when Man leaves,
He's wearing cameo green."