Caged Song Bird

         The dark surrounds me. Suffocating me until I can't think. Can't question anything going on. The dress I wear is soiled and dirty from the ground. Even though I know I can't escape I clutch the metal bars in my hands. The cold bites into my fingers. Pulling hard the bars rattle in their place. I try to think of what I want through the haze the dark has settled over me.
         'Out, I want out. I want to be free and feel the sunlight on my dark skin.' A door opens and sunlight pours in. But not the kind I want, the fake stuff. It burns my eyes and forces me to blink. A man fills the frame of the door and smiles evilly into the room.
         "My little birdy is making too much noise." He leaves the entry way to come over to my cage. "What does my little birdy want?"
         "Freedom." My voice comes out small but I say this one word with as much confidence as I can muster. The man slams his hands against the bars, his face pressing close.
         "There are laws little birdy, that make you mine? You just lucky I see the talent in your black hide!" grabbing keys from within his coat pocket he unlocks the door.
         "Now get out here and do what you're meant to!" I slink out of the cage carefully, not wanting to evoke his wrath upon me. He leads me through the door and into the sun. Once there he sits down in his comfy chair and watches me expectantly.
         "Come on little birdy, sing." I close my eyes and open my mouth. Words and sounds lilt out as I pour my heart into them. I want to be free and sing only when I want to.
         When the song ends I once again open my eyes. Tears stain my brown cheeks as I see other maids and servants, white and black, have come to listen. The man stands from his chair and walks over to me.
         "Why are you crying little bird?" he says the words as you would to a toy. Only an object to entertain. My eyes do not stray from the colored servants, all holding hands now.
         "Because."
         "Because?" he wants me to continue.
         "Because I am a bird. And a bird does not like to be caged. Because I want to be free." My arm is grabbed and I'm yanked through the door and away from the sun. The bars close around me and I'm caged once again.