Fear of Freedom

Free will can be God’s will

But Lucy in his craft has created customs and traditions that keep you caged

Maya knows why the caged bird sings

It sings of freedom that comes alive only in dreams

It sings of power and triumph over wickedness

Wickedness dressed in fear’s fashion label

The sophisticated fear of being seen or known

The colour blocking fear for tomorrow

The conventional fear of being disagreeable

Or just the casual fear of leaving your comfort zone

If only the caged bird could stop romanticising her cage long enough to pick the lock

Nobody wants to hear the shrill tune of deep sorrowful lyrics

Action speaks louder than songs

It will fall before it learns how to fly again

The free fall, an exercise of its free will because it knows God’s will

And even if it falls to the ground, the few seconds of living is better than an eternity of letting life pass by.

Live!

Nothing will happen

The worst that could happen is death

And to die is gain

ChyD
© 2026

Can I trust you?

Can I trust you?
Trust you enough to behold my nakedness,
To come before you bare-
With engraved scars and a broken soul,
Can I trust you will hold my brokenness,
And make a sculpture out of me,

Can I trust you?
Trust you enough to let go,
And drown me into your vessel,
Guiding me through the waves life throws at me,

Can I trust?
Enough to abandon all I have built,
Pillars of sweat and blood,
And follow you to the promised land,
Though alien to my eyes but familiar to my heart,
I hear how it calls out to my spirit,
And sings sweet melodies of what my future would be like!
This rhythm soothes my soul,
But fear has gripped me by my spine
And has crippled my faith and numbed my feet
So I ask, Dear Lord,
If I give you my hands to hold,
Can I trust you?
That you will never let go
Until these songs of the future
Become a reality I dance to!
Can I trust you?

Adeleye Olaoye
©2021

In The Cage

The news of the free fat forest guard
The humble bird it had as its breakfast
The noise of the resenting jungle dwellers
And the anti-poaching authority
Is a bittersweet jingle for a product you dare not buy.

The parrot that dares spread this ungodly news
Ends eventually enslaved by the freedom in the cage
Singing special songs to the ears of the chief ensconced
In his palatial power-filled pulpit of pains
Inflicting.

You dare not tell thy three brothers what happened
Or the mice and their muse would feast
On your glory
Kiss you with lips of Judas
Deny you as though they truly are Peter’s apprentice
Before big brown fowl crows
A warning that night never loved plain soul

Simeon Chidi
© 2019