Every day I am reminded of the caged bird
With clipped wings and blurry eyes.
Skinned to the skin and left for the cold.
Master! Master!
It will sing,
That’s what they like to be called.
The faith they say is what they get,
They say faith is why you are caged.
While it suffers in bondage
And emotions in silhouette,
It keeps singing to its keeper.
Master! Master!
Every day they come to take a feather away,
Hatch they say,
Hatch for the chicks
Or hatch for food.
Master! Master!
They say, either way, you must hatch.
You are meant to love it,
Hatching I mean.
You hatch for your masters,
When you dry away,
Dead dead dead
They get a new bird.
Master! Master!
When does the caged bird fly free?
Only when it’s dead.