How Do You Describe a Bird

(to the child of Syria in Michel Kilo’s story)

by Lurana Brown

 

This is a poem inspired by Syrian activist Michel Kilo’s story about a small boy he met in prison.
Michel Kilo: Syrian Children Born, Raised in Prison
View on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJPkmLub0ao

 

How do you describe a bird

to a child raised in captivity

How do you define the words

of bird

and free

and fly

 

How do you tell him a story of things

outside the life of his cage

How dare you share a world of wings

and wind

and trees

and sky

 

Can you make him a promise to take him there

to a place that is wild and alive

Can you even begin to answer the where

and when

and how

and why

 

Sing him a song, then, of home and nest

inside the womb of his room

Give him a reason for peace and rest

till then

for now

a lullaby

 

About the author:

Lurana Brown is a pianist/accompanist and licensed massage therapist. Her poetry has been published by the Blue Hour and Shoe Music Press, is forthcoming in anthologies by the Visionary Press Collaborative, Swimming with Elephants, and the Blue Hour, and can be found at luranabrown.com

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