Caged
She was raised in captivity
Wild one
With her family
They knew the ways
Of the captors
Obedience
The call
Of the wild
Was too strong for her
She strained at the lead
Ears cocked
Hearing
All
And distant calls
Those who were free
She was beaten
Shunned
Thrown in solitary
They told her the rules
Over and over
She fought
Lacerating her captors
And herself
Her family
Wearied
Turned their heads away
Chained
She mourned
Isolated
They didn't watch her
Closely
Any more
She chewed off her paw
Free
They didn't notice
She growled
When they came near
They threw the meat
From a distance
Her cubs circled
Behaved
To all appearances
"When, mother?" they whispered
She mourned
As the leg healed
Her gait became stronger
The cubs and she
Ran at night
While others slept
At last she tried once more
Mourned
Howled
Cried to the sky
Grief
Pain
And the call of the wild
The family cringed
Pressed their ears
To stop the noise
She rose
And broke the chain
On the cage
That held them
Howled
They turned away
Cowering
In the familiar
Now she rises
Turns
Trots from the compound
Cubs behind
She sets a steady pace
A loping gallop
They do not look back
Someday
The family may choose
To free themselves
But not now
She follows the voices
To freedom
And the unknown