The Broken Little Bird

I tighten my smile, and shut the cage tight.

The poor beaten creature is trapped, without a fight.

The audience awaits, the show must go on,

The sick bird stays hidden, to keep up the con.

Moving away from the cage, i fluff my fringe,

The thought of that little bird makes me cringe.

She reminds me of what i started out to be,

Broken, beaten, wishing to be free.

She is not beautiful, Her notes don't become a song.

But, locked in a cage, she can't reveal the wrong.

If she cannot be seen, she can not be heard.

If she is not heard, no one will know of this bird.

If she is not known, what will become of this poor broken thing?

Will she rot? 

No, there is no life left for her to cling.

Her pulse is the bitterness of days gone by,

Days 'fore she knew she'd never fly.
Her innocence, faith and trust stripped away,
The only thought in her head, to make him pay.

I visit her each day, hoping the next will be the end.

But each time i see her, she seems to be on the mend.

In fact, it's the days i neglect to look,

The days i didn't, her health shook.

I cannot fly away.

She will not live if I don't stay.

I will not flutter while she's around.

She keeps my feet on the ground.

Her mangled feathers whisper without a word,

"You are useless, you mangy bird,

You may trick THEM, because they cannot see,

through your doctored feathers, what you used to be."

I know she's right, that if they knew...

I could only guess the damage it would do.

If they saw that little bird, starving, mangled, the end would pursue.

They would not love me or want me, if they knew.

I cannot free her, and let the truth out.

But, she will not die while I listen to her spout.

I keep singing, never missing a note, keeping up the charade,

Behind the bright feathers, my soul continues to fade.

I keep the bird alive and she keeps me on the ground,

and i hide the truth, that i don't want found:

From the past, i may never be free,

Because, the broken little bird 

is me.

*What are your thoughts on this poem? What does it mean to you? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)