Acceptence

At home, she was suppressed
Taunted
Demeaned
Corrected
Doubted
Warned
Restricted
She fought for her beliefs
She stood up

One year two year more years
It became a habit
It was traumatic
Her brain is now wired to see the world as a hostile place
She needs to fight.
Focus on being trusted, believed, validated.
Focus on justification, permission, reason
even when the water is serene.

You can take a bird out of war,
but can't take a war out of the bird.

Focus on yelling,
Being right
Focus on the Whys
Proving her vision.
Fighting for freedom.
Of hers and her tribe's

Because she cares
to make things right
And care can move mountains

Because she sees Because she reads
She has faith
All in her head
She is brave
She knows.
But home doesn't
Other's voices become loud and clear.

Now Three worlds
Home , Her home-the ideal one in her head,  and the Noise.

Heart anchored at home
Heart anchored in her home
Heart anchored in the voices, the noises.
She chooses to move towards her home.
while chained to home and the noises.
Now three minds.
But there is only one heart
Pounding thunderous
If she shares.

So she moves mountains,
with a  piece of her heart, not all.
in search to Her home.
She reaches. Looks back.
Only, there were no mountains to move
Just one step to take
from the mind tamed
invisible chains
Love
Loyality
Guilt
Society
Respect
Care
Responsibility

It can't be everywhere
demanded to uproot. Mind, body, soul.
demanded to break hearts
break silence
Leave home and the noises.
Heart can't be everywhere.
It leaves voids where the pieces ones were
And surrounding hearts will be broken
But it must be done.

She sees it when she reaches Her home
Alone
Meets birds calmly flying
The way she wanted to go
But the manner they fly-
Smooth as breeze
And she wonders-

I know why Maya Angelou's caged bird sings

And the flying don't
They have a home
A village
That sends them off with courage and support.
They instill  faith
Faith melts mountains.

These smooth sailing birds
Focus on doing, moving, conveying
Focus on the Hows , not the whys
Assert not justify
Because they are
loved
trusted
accepted
at home
Who others? They never heard a noise.
Home, her home, they are one. They cancel out the noise.

Or they left it all behind
Long gone home
The others , they hear
but their path is clear
so they are strong to ignore
Where does their faith come from?
Their Focus on the I?

But the caged bird
It screeches even as it flies
Cacophony.
Wailing.
Why?
It doesn't leave
the tamed heart
Shamed
Scared
Insecure
Threatened
Sad
Empathetic
You can take the bird out of home
You can't take home out of the bird.
Even as she flies to Her home.

But it doesn't stop fighting
As long as she hears
Her heart's longing
As long as she preserves
Her heart's longing
As long as she waters
Her calling.
As long as she sees the suffering, in all.

Have you seen a caged bird flutter?
Have you heard a caged bird growl?
Have you seen a caged bird monstrous?
But dear, Did you see the cage?

What do you do?
Judge
Gossip
Isiolate
Rude

What can you do?

Love.
Listen.
Be kind and curious.
Kind over clever.
Accept over correct.

The feral bird
beginning to melt.
Leaves a child behind.

Many caged birds around us- we are never taught to recognize the cages, the struggle, the signs, ways to help, ways to listen, ways to understand. But to Judge. Until the cage engulfs the whole.