No Flight Today Poem by Paul Brookes

cage door stand open
feathers are ruffled
lukewarm water pours
seed spills.
golden bars reflect fear
birds sings of loss
but still she does not leave
tethered by emotions stronger than steel
trills high c's
mirrors shatter much like her illusions

bars are not the problem
nor yawning gaps and open doors
the mind makes a prison
the prisoners clip their wings voluntarily
so the cage door swings
its hinges creak.
freedom is hard to come by she says
and pulls the door firmly shut.