six of you in a row,

feet grasping what little we gave you

scattering seeds under the barren floor 

a trap they find you in

gawk at your beauty,

your foolish innocence

wings,

fast–gunshots reverb, sliding down the marble floors

those cold tiles that taunt you

bake in the frigid glass,

keep you from the world you were

speak to me 

Wait for me to free you 

Wait for me to leave

Wait for death to free you 

Imagine what it is to be free 

throw your souls into the river just as our ancestors did 

They miss you so

how could you know no world outside of his?

i mutter to you

the truth but you cannot hear, cannot understand

I can try to speak louder

it hurt, didn’t it? Pushing through a shell to find another

crack your skull on the bars 

hold yourself against my chest,

please