Ruby in a Cage

I am a paper silhouette, a thing
of ink and shadows, cut out from a page
of flat dimensions. Here's my offering:
my heart, a paper ruby in a cage.

They made me without color: india black
defines my features on a ground of beige.
My artist-father never saw the lack,
I had to grow this ruby in a cage.

Forgotten scribble, crumpled rough-draft sheet,
while finished works displayed on center-stage
I rode a wind of chance out to the street
a rescue for a ruby in a cage.

It's taken time to heal me from the grief,
it's taken time to overcome the rage.
I am my own and none can call me thief,
for all I own's a ruby in a cage.

Someplace where victory includes surrender,
someday when there are no more wars to wage,
I'll learn the final lesson: how to tender
my heart to you, a ruby in a cage.

--image by Kyknoord, brought to us by readwritepoem
Collection available! Knocking from Inside