Creature Speak

You are an entire universe
And so is your vision.
You live in the expanse
Of the cosmos and more,
The place from which
All was born.

The demands others make
Are like imposed funnels
For tunnels you cannot
Begin to fit through.
Sometimes you try
And it hurts
Like the foot binding
Of a feral young girl
Or the controllled growth
Of a sentient bonsai tree.

Some would say
The contortion serves you,
That we all must learn
To grow in the direction
Of the sun at dawn
And no other time.

But freedom is a birthright
And distortions of form
Cause the little deaths
   of the soul.
Over time, what is left?
Do you recognize yourself
   at all?
Or have you forsaken
   your origin?

If you want to become
Utterly foreign
To yourself,
So be it.
But let it be on the path
Of discovery!

Seize the open skies!
Sail the exotic and distant
    seas!
Walk The Camino de Santiago
And explore yourself
In relation to the world
And all that is.

Liberate yourself
From the cages
Of others' expectations 
And obligations
That are like trying 
To force the cosmos
To fit in a paper bag
As if it could ever be 
Contained enough 
To be caught.

Copyright © 2021, Sheyorah Naify