Bred in Captivity

Men live in places

that stifle their souls,

waiting for more

of the same, and so

they grow up shriveled

like a boy in a cage

with no way to see the sky

or climb trees

or play guns

or draw dragons

or stop and stare in wonder at

something bigger than himself.

Men are timid now, after centuries

in a stifling captivity

and our eyes can’t see

and our hearts don’t feel

and our minds don’t recognize

the things that are really real.