CAGED By Ozioma Ogbaji

On every side was a wall of thick mesh
And in the middle she was sitting in her chair of mesh
What is out there beyond these walls?
What if her visions of the world outside were false?
She was caged

She grew tired of her little house of mesh
She wondered if her wings were for something else
What if I could get on the other side?
What if my wings were not made just to beautify?
She wondered

One touch and her house of mesh gave way
She stepped out and was greeted by the sun rays
Then she slipped, for her house was high up on a tree
She was falling; this must be the end of me
She cried

Suddenly, she noticed others with wings like hers
Why weren't they falling and crashing?
Then it dawned on her and she spread her wings
And for the first time she made use of hers
She could fly

And so began a new life for her
The world she dreamed of was right before her
She found herself, she found her wings, she learned to fly
She lived her dream, she soared up high
She was free

LIFE'S PARALLELS By Ozioma Ogbaji

What is joy without sorrow?
What is peace without war?
What is wisdom without foolishness?
What is happiness without sadness?
What is hope without doubt?
What is a whisper without a shout?
What is trust without the lack of it?
What is faith without fear?
What is truth without lies?
What is success without failure?
What is wealth without poverty?
What is freedom without slavery?
What is the good without the bad?
What is light without the dark?
What is love without hate?
What is life without death?
We are fortunate to know life's parallels
We are fortunate to have the power to choose