Seize the Day by Rae Louise Jones

To Be
By Rae Louise Jones

Am I locked inside this cage,
Or am I here by choice?

If I stay:
I can keep the feasts and riches
Showered down on me by the Gods

If I escape:
I can explore new lands and territories,
I will have a tale to tell

I had the strength to bend and break the bars,
But do I have the strength to leave?
I stand here at the border,
Neither trapped nor free,
A leopard never changes its spots, they say,
But mine are changing all the time

I stand here at the border,
A sultry feline silhouette,
The people who come to see me through the bars
Carry themselves around
Like pieces of old junk
But I look down at my body,
And see my spots evolving
Into precious jewels scaling my skin

I stand here at the border,
Clawing away at the surface,
Ready to make a move…
For I know what it means To Be