Monkey in the Zoo

“Look at you!” They ooo and ahh as they prod at the monkey in the zoo.

They marvel at my hair, call me things like; majestic.

They expect me to be domestic, they want to hold me captive as a novelty.

Seen as a danger if I’m set free.

All of these people, blank as paper- as they ooo and ahh at the monkey in the zoo.

I look at them with eyes of Caesar, this planet of apes, but not I.

Somehow even wild animals have become more civilized than mankind.

I watch how their governments poison their minds.

I watch as they give themselves ideas of power over invisible lines.

I watch as they bark and howl at one another.

I watch as they wield weapons of power as their thunder.

I watch as they rip people from their families.

Holding themselves high above each other, they’re all the same these monkeys with their freedom and their guns.

Wreaking havoc as if they’re the special ones.

They ooo and ahh at the monkey in the zoo

They delight in my limited autonomy

They cradle their young as they make fun of me.

They think of themselves so highly.

How they ooo and they ahhh like the monkeys they are.

They ooo and they ahh because they think they’ve come so far.

They ooo and they ahh as they pretend to be so free.

They ooo and they ahh, but they’re in cages just like me.

Shiny bars built from pride and policy.