The Bird or the Cage

Wed, 04/23/2014 - 20:27 -- azeeble

Location

The bird, or the cage?
Go on. Choose.
It's just a simple thing, really... 
One, or the other.
This or that.
The choice will only affect your life.
 
The cage, you go on as always. 
You see the world as you always have -
Peaceful, normal, 
A little difficult at times.
But altogether, the same.
It's the easy choice.
 
The bird, however, you are free.
You see the world for what it really is -
All the ugly cracks and faded gilt
The evil lurking behind every corner.
It's not for the faint of heart...
But some prefer it to wool.
 
Most have already chosen the cage
And continually choose it, every day.
They have the choice to trade in their coin
But either don't see the need 
Or don't want the hassle.
They ignore the dirty and cracked streets
And indulge in a fantasy
Of milk and honey roads
Because it's simpler than thinking
Of the bars around them.
 
They love the culture of the everyday
Wake up
Travel
Obligatory work (often disliked)
Food
Obligatory work (even more disliked)
Travel
Sparse words
Sleep
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday PARTY Repent 
Repeat.
 
And the culture of the every life
Education
Marriage
Family
Workworkworkwork
Retirement
Death.
 
Like a record player left too long 
Droning on and on and on...
Until finally the end has been reached.
 
This is the way of the cage
Embracing the monotony
Going with the flow
Changing to fit the times
Even when the times are shit.
 
As a bird you spurn the cold walls
Even though they have familiar comfort.
You take wing and soar above
Seeing all
Taking in
Trying to fix the brokenness.
 
But fixing means changing.
And changing isn't good to those in the cage.
They attack what's unfamiliar
They laugh at the strange
They throw stones at the birds and kill them two by two.
 
Because the birds want to free them of their cages
And that means the bars of structure disappear
And that means all comfort is lost -
Because you have to think on your own
And can't let the cage think for you.
 
You've seen the cards.
You know the choice.
All that's left
Is for you to decide.
The bird, or the cage?
It's simple.
 

Comments

azeeble

This poem was inspired by several things: one, Bioshock Infinite, which originally asked the question of the bird or the cage; two, the Allegory of the Cave by Plato, since it has basically the same premise of a society with closed eyes; three, the Matrix, because the question is of the same nature as asking to take the red pill or the blue pill; and four, my own thoughts about American society in general. The art is not mine. 

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