Caught in the wild,
you were brought in.
They trapped you,
oh, so easily.
Trophy for reward
of their persuasion.
Every type of man
requires some way to show
he’s a conqueror.
Put you in a cage
and watched you
wither for a while,
captivated by your strength,
jealous of your pride.
You are what they
could never become;
free and never answering
to anyone.
A few years of living in a cage
takes the edges off your rage.
Soon, you become dependent
on their good will for food
and reality starts to intrude.
You start to see
your captors as your friends.
You start to think
your masters have benevolent intent.
They’ll do
what they have to
to foster that belief,
until you’re smiling
as they file down your teeth.
Yet, sometimes
you still dream
of wild places,
endless skies,
and golden plains.
Forests deep,
cold mountain streams,
and prey to chase,
and game to eat.
There are still some
of your kind out there,
breathing the cold air
and living free.
Wouldn’t it be great
to escape?
Is that even a possibility?
Or have they
domesticated you?
Is there still anything wild
running through
your veins?
How much of you remains
in you?
HG – 2021
