Riki Describes Her Cage

— body language by Mia Đặng —

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Oh, there you sat so still, so meek,

For seven minutes you wouldn’t speak!

Waiting, waiting for my hand,

For someone else to take command,

Waiting for the world to say,

"Come, little one, we'll clear the way!"

​

"I can't speak up!" you cry. Not true!

That's just a story told by you,

A cozy lie, a comfy tale,

That keeps you small and keeps you pale.

Of course you CAN! Your mouth works fine!

The "can't" you claim is by design.

​

You know the way, you've always known,

The door's not locked, your life’s your own,

But “knowing's” safe, your talk is cheap,

To free yourself demands the leap!

​

For what you want (though you won't say)

Is comfort, safety, come what may,

To never risk, to never stand,

You live your life as second hand.

You say you've got a problem? How?

You've solved them all! Now take a bow!

No need to change a single thing,

You've got it made, you're comfort's king!

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"But speaking up makes others squirm!

It isn't right!" you say, so firm.

How handy that! How sweet, how neat,

The "right thing" keeps you in your seat!

You get to wear the good-girl crown

While comfort holds you, holds you down.

​

You see the cage! You name each bar!

You know exactly where you are!

But naming bars is not a key,

Describing jail won't set you free.

The cleverest of prisoners keep

The finest maps of their own keep,

They chart each wall, each lock, each shelf,

And never step outside themselves.
 

You know the way, you've always known,

The door's not locked, your life’s your own,

But “knowing's” safe, your talk is cheap,

To free yourself demands the leap!

​

Ten years of talk, the patient sighed,

"I know each why I hurt inside,

I understand my every ache,

And still I'm sad!" Well, there's the fake:

For understanding, when it's true,

Will show up in the things you DO.

“Wisdom” without an action shown

Is worth much less than one bare bone.

​

Yes, you're uncomfortable, we all know,

But it's still a comfort even so!

Those little aches you've learned to bear,

A dull and manageable care,

A “small” price paid to dodge the fright

Of open eyes and risky light.

​

So how to change? Oh, please don't ask,

You know the answer to this task!

Just open up your mouth and speak!

Choose courage, let your knees go weak!

You'll fumble, stumble, maybe fall,

You'll bungle in the dark, that's all!

Mistakes will come, rejection too,

That messy world is calling you!
 

You may not know the whole long way,

But you know step one, come what may:

It's stepping out beyond the bars,

Not naming them, not drawing stars

Upon your map of where you've been,

It's out the door! It's not within!

So will you talk of talk once more,

Or will you walk right through the door?

​

You know the way, you've always known,

The door's not locked, your life’s your own,

But “knowing's” safe, your talk is cheap,

To free yourself demands the leap!