sometimes
there are no words
for what binds you,
for the cage
that keeps you
small and silent.

even i, with all the words at my disposal, have none.

the tiger sees the bars of his cage and paces,
knowing his own strength.

we pace,
not knowing our own,
wondering why we don’t feel free,
forgetting that
sometimes
invisible bars
are the strongest of all.

i apologize.
i do not mean to leave you in despair
when the truth –
your truth –
can slice through the darkness like a clap of thunder
and dissolve
the bars around you.

this is how it starts
after all,
a scream welling up in the silence.
soon enough,
you will learn your own strength.
you will learn that you are free.