She felt his presence, heavy and shadowed
As he observed her sitting at the window:

“You sit and look outside for hours,
your hazel eyes filled with hunger”,
he remarked bitterly,
“What could you possibly think
is out there waiting for you?”

A voice, empty and tired, but
edged in hope replied:

“Everything and, after all,
anything’s better than what is in here.
You have left me desolate for years now,
But I realized today that I still have myself.”

Choosing anger to override his shame,
his tone threatened thunderstorms:

“You’re such a foolish child at heart,
With your head always full of daydreams.
Restless in your ways, but soon you’ll
Learn to accept the view as unattainable
And stop staring through the window panes.”

He thought he had won, like each time before,
but was forced to stall his exit as her voice rose again:

“You may have clipped my wings for now,
But I’ll remember how to fly.
You have tried to lock this cage,
But I’ve been searching my soul
And I think I’ve found the key.”

As each day progressed she became less afraid,
And found beauty in the mirror once more.
Her spirit had thawed and soon she knew
The time to leave had announced itself.

No cage has held her since.