I love the way you penned this piece to say so much about this little girl or really anyone who's been deemed different or mentally ill by nothing more than a serious of random members in society. (sorry for the ramble) but at the same time you made it something so beautiful. Your word choice is perfect, the images are clear and really leave an impact on not only the reader but on the character as well. I love how simply you were able to write such sad things and still leave a thread or two of hope woven through each line. Amazing write.

Damn! I take it back, this must be one of your most touching poems too!

This poem really does touch my heart, I feel really connected to it and I love how you make us feel so connected to this character as if we know her and already care for her!

To open the poem with the description of such innocent and beautiful eyes, but to then go on and show us how her life changed and how her freedom was taken from her.

It does remind you of the poor people who suffer from mental illness, and then are locked away as if they no longer existed. Your topic here is such a strong one.

I liked so much of your wording.. branded, a great way to show how everything these days has to have a label on it! Then medication as a treatment. It is so sad that this character has actually began to take more medication than food. And to compare a pill to company, is very sad as it represents the loneliness this person was suffering.

Also, the bird in the cage was a genius idea to compare this illness to! Trapped, and judged! The sad fact that the lady feels empathy and connection to this bird is so moving, to know that she really understands how confined this bird feels. A mutual understanding between the two.

Argh!

I love it!

I liked reading this poem, I have never been diagnosed with anything (Strangely i wasn't even branded with GID like most people like me...)
but depression, bipolar, BPD and plenty of others run very high in my family and i know i have at least one of them. I just dont get them treated.

I dated a girl once who was bipolar and this reminds me of her. She was on lithium and it seemed like nothing at times could make her smile. Like she was always trapped. I always tried to free her but in the end i could not, she was shipped away for being depressed her rich parents didn't even want to try to take care of her.

When she returned years later she was different. She had the look of defeat, she no longer told people about her emotional distress instead she sat there, numb to the world.

I could never set her free... It always made me cry when i thought about her.

--

I enjoyed how simple this was to read, nothing complex and you do get the undertones of what it feels like to have something "wrong" with you.
*hugs* I hope things are well

I thought about a bird cage as a trap 4 a mentally ill person. It's a trap, limited with nothing to express ecxterm your own thoughts. I think mental illness is the most devastating illness there is. Who can know what horrors goes on in the mind of a person sufferin from dymentia.
A lot of thought went into this.
DanteG

Judging Comment:

This piece is simple and yet it says enough to leave the reader on the verge of tears. Maybe not from the scene, but from the pure beauty of the piece. It is stunning and perfectly penned, the flow is spot on, the words are precise and clear - even in their elegance. There is a vivid scene and a detailed story to this, again even within such a short write. Every word of this carried so much with it, emotion, detail, kindness. This piece is definitely worth the read, and the awareness it brings.

Very Nicely Done, Kudos!!!

A heart melting image of an innocent age painted with pain and longing. Its sad to see people, children even friends to be locked up because of their mental state.

A touching poem about the plight of these people.

This poem is a very touching poem, bringing out the reader's empathy towards a character who has become lost inside the world they live in. The metaphor used of the bird in the cage works perfectly well for the theme of the poem, really capturing how trapped this vulnerable person feels. The loneliness is also very evident, and then the comfort the character finds within the bird, which clearly reflects how the character feels. A connection between them life's circumstances. The reality of the poem is so relevant, and I think that is why the poem touches me so. A truly eye-opening poem.