Like elephants
forcing themselves into cardboard boxes,
a vessel desperate to be filled with belonging
snags its fluttering spirit
and plucks away the wings,
consulting society’s step-by-step handbook
for cutting away passionate errors,
slicing off rebellious streaks,
stitching on content and blinding unbiased sight
and throws the corpse
up, up, up,
expecting it to sprout wings and fly.
Bailey Middle School
8