Sea of Obsession

When did you become a stormy sea of obsession?
Confining in all of your ways
Renouncing all moves in any direction
When one does not yield to the calls, you play

Attempts to govern unclipped wings can be exhausting
The very thought is gravely insane
Yet, you still despondently try to cage in free spirits
With those borders you set and maintain

You reveal uncertainty in your own validation
In the faith you hold in your own
When you desperately try to close off the sky
From free spirits thirsting to roam

Did you know your borders are guarded by insecurity?
They are useless and protected in vain
Take a look inside the cages you obsessively provide
Not a single free spirit remains

Author's Note

There are those who try to control the ones they claim to love, to limit their contact with family and friends. Insecurity is generally their reason and they often find their bird cannot be caged.

Artist Rob Hefferan

Reviews

[∂αʌ<..]

aaah, i came across such people, dear ones, unfortunately, sometimes caged birds, when they gain liberty again, after suffocation, they prefer to alienates themselves to their loved ones, as said in this poem!

a lovely poem, you passed on a sensible message Neva!

[manchilld99]

"Take a look inside the cages you obsessively provide
Not a single free spirit remains"

.... nice ... begs the question whether those free spirits took wing and flew triumphantly away, or were they crushed by the oppressive weight of their chains and are no longer free ....

... a nice combination of sharply portrayed images made clear by uncanny word choice and pure, simple logic. a hint of personal anger in the speaker's voice gives this a more strident tone than found in much of your work, without ever being shrill. It is good with me. Without the gender-specifying picture this would be a perfect poem about the tendency of many women to seek out the wildest, freest-spirited man they can find and then try to permanently lay 'claim' to him, to the point of obsessively demanding his attention, spying upon his activities and friends, visiting emotional blackmail upon him, and not allowing him to ever breathe free air. Your own author's note is intentionally vague as to gender ( 'their contact,' instead of 'his' or 'her' contact', 'their bird' vs 'his/her bird.') I think you are being a bit devilish in your subtle irony here, lest I read in too much. But it is good wit me; I am good with it.

[Ammanite]

you write so beautiful !!! i like the ending !

[asdarkeyesclose]

'Not a single free spirit remains'

sad that people become so jealous of their loved ones that they try to control their every move. Your message is convincing and well expressed :)

[Tom C]

Oh yes. I lived like this for a few years. It is insane to not fell you can even LOOK in other peoples direction with out getting questioned about why and who you are looking at. Free at last.

[roy mccarthy]

awesome write neva!
loved the message,
also great rhyme scheme too!

[michaela]

Wow. This is so poignant and candid, and the message is SO TRUE. Wonderful!

[John Jackson (El Juero)]

Absolutely correct on your subject. Those who try to control are sick, empty individuals. Love the whole poem, and the last line is a great clincher.
Very nice!

[brenda]

love the message in this one !:)

[...]

. oh, i cannot begin to tell you how right you are ... it took me more than two realize that about someone ... what kills is that he doesn't acknowledge it ... has succumbed to living in a cult ... it's very disturbing ...