Lady With Birdcages*

Who would keep an eagle in a birdcage,

Or a heron or an owl,

Or the head of a woman of dubious age,

Or varieties of waterfowl?

The man in white with slitted eyes

Watches from the weeds

As the wraithlike woman saunters by

Oblivious of his needs.

The look in his eyes is coarse derision,

But the birds know why

The bird-brained lady has made her decision.

We each have cages in which we imprison

Things that would fly

If we didn't thus impose our lack of vision.

*Note: This is a verbal illustration of a painting by my

daughter, Julia Rose Guerin.