CAGED

An escaped canary engenders other thoughts

Caged

 

uncaged, but not unloved

the yellow/green canary

a feathered fugitive

perched carefree, naive

on the small stone bridge

above the Eden river

 

ripe seeds in plenty

ruffling, balmy breeze

feather warming sun

awoke ancestral memories

 

all too soon the canary was spotted

concerted, careless efforts made

to capture and contain

their motive well meaning

but the bird had tasted freedom

 

the young man waited,

resigned, face weary

two plastic bags of cheap food

a bunch of yellow, wilting flowers

summer downpour hammering

the graffiti scratched bus shelter

‘go home asylum seekers’ 

the bus to the sink estate, cancelled

 

I lit a cigarette, offered him one

we chatted, he told me his life story

of the irretrievable happy days in Aleppo

of the ache for freedom and a better life

but then the nightmare,

of the unspeakable barbarity

of the desperate flight

of hope suspended in the camps

of their arrival to this promised land

 

I asked if they were settled now

he laughed bitterly

‘we are being sent home’

Reviews

[J. J. Nightingale]

Freedom is where you find it...
Inside a mind, or outside familiarity
Sometimes the grass isn't greener..
and we may be even more captive
on the other side..
Open arms grip tighter..sigh
saying..protect preserve
a free way of living..

I am in no way a LIBERAL... but understand seeking Freedom.........

Jazzy..

[alanwgraham]

Thanks jazzy for reading this. We live in a world where freedom is under attack.
Hope you are well and writing.
Regards, alan

[J. J. Nightingale]

This is true.. ...and You are Welcome.......... J.J.

[Pete]

first half reads so free and beautifully. second half tells a sad tale of desperation. well written, creatively crafted and flows oh so well. the flip surprised me. well done. something we take for granted that we shouldn't ...

[alanwgraham]

Thanks Pete. Sometimes you just make connections and if you are lucky you can create something out of it.
Regards, alan

[Lovecraft]

Extremely relevant with what's going on in the world right now. Freedom seems to be becoming a privilege not a right.

A very beautiful and well-written poem, I love the words you chose, it adds another layer to this. The first several verses are particularly great.

Very nice, Alan! *Claps*

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

"Ancestral memories" of freedom...beautiful imagery of the canary uncaged vs. humans caged in detainment camps...quite opposite imagery evoked. Yet the humans still seek to "capture and contain" in a "well-meaning"way, Lesson not learned.Powerful, resonant message and poem. Stark, indicting. Great flow, believable conversation, effective breaks in continuity, and repetition of "of" for emphasis. Master-class work!

[alanwgraham]

You are very kind Annette. It's great when you see these links between things. I suppose it's the definition of metaphor and one notable thing about being 'high' is that I start using the word 'like' a lot in the sense of seeing links.
Regards,
Alan

[Tony Jordan]

A moving story Alan. The analogy between the two - one free of a cage of metals and one returning to a cage of bullets and bombs - is a powerful one.
We take our liberty for granted sometimes.

[Paul Bell]

This is sad, and you definitely feel for this family.
I always think Britain should seek out refugees in war torn countries. But refugees who make their way through Europe to get into Britain. I say no.

[alanwgraham]

Thanks Paul. I agree that there are no easy answers to these difficult questions. Where do you start and where do you finish? I don't think anyone knows.
Regards,
Alan

[barleygirl]

I'm not cognizant of all the political angles herein, but I can still appreciate your intense metaphor as it relates to refugees worldwide, not to mention our unwelcoming posture now in the US. Besides being a brilliant statement about freedom, your word-crafting is interesting to the point of being distracting (in a good way). I was just watching the way you piled on various word sounds to possibly suggest the sounds a canary might make (caged or not). Very interesting & thought-provoking! (((HUGS)))

[alanwgraham]

Thanks. Last week my wife had spotted an escaped bird which we managed to catch and then the next day I was waiting for a bus with this sad looking man that I imagined might be a refugee. For some reason I made some link between the two. I'm not too happy with the outcome but I might work on it. Then the profound poem by Maya Angelo About the caged Bird popped into my head and I thought why am I bothering ?
I will look at your waterfall of wonderful words soon!
Cheers,
Alan

[barleygirl]

I love hearing about your process. I have to remind myself to write it down when my mind makes some weird connection. I have several notebooks of these weird mind flashes, in case I get writers block (but I haven't, since being on this website!) *smile*

[Norman 223]

Powerful analogy here Alan. Even the long domesticated "canary" could be treated as an undesirable avian if Brexit materialises.