She awakens to a jostle of her cage

Her small heart pounds against her ribs

It is dark but for a few rays of light, even so she cannot see

Everything is black, everything is dark

Breathing around you is to inhale dirt, dust, smoke, yellow gas

She cannot breathe even to plead for her life

The caged bird sings out of fear; pure horror

But, oh, what a lovely sound

Her body is used, discarded, without so much as a burial

Tiny soft body among the black dust and her unfortunate sisters

Sunlight put out; the world is still night