Photo Courtesy of Hideaway Farms Aviary
wasting away
imprisoned within
was he
plumage once
brilliant now dull
quite grey
how could she
have forgotten
glorious he?
morning’s light glints
off metal lock of
rusting cage
she takes note
memories rushing
guilt coursing
trembling she
attempts to make
amends awkwardly
placing wet offering
quenching parched,
aching thirst
thinking he need
be grateful to she
this act of kindness
Instead he greedily
sucks dry, to his fill,
and beyond
Horrified, she bears
witness to this
self imploding
this exploding,
bursting from within,
feathers flying
she was either
too late, or
not yet ready
to face fears
locked away
later realizing
what you feed
will grow beyond
all proportion
serenity found
by turning the key...
addiction set free
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The above free form poem is from a recently recalled dream I had when I was in my 20's (and in the throes of an eating disorder). I dreamt of a formerly beautiful parrot, locked within a cage. I had forgotten and neglected this bird for far too long. He was terribly emaciated, molting, no food or water to be found anywhere near. I gently placed a bowl of water within its cage. The bird eagerly lapped it up, but it was too much, too soon. It didn't know when to stop and ended up destroying itself. I was horrified.
Fast forward 25 years. One morning last week I was at the kitchen sink. Something in the backyard caught my eye. It was a parrot! A large bird with green plumage and a crimson head. It looked just like the parrot that was in my dream. Fearing that the bird was lost I went outside to see if I could catch him, but he flew away. I haven't seen him since.
Do the two things (one a dream/one a real occurrence) have anything to do with each other? I believe so. I feel that my God is telling me that the caged bird is now free...I have nothing to fear, not even surfacing memories. I am no longer on the path to self destruction but rather I am on the right path. I am exactly where I am meant to be as I continue to "trudge the road" towards my happy destiny.
