Bobby Easton

THE CAGE

Upon the ground there stands a cage
Made of bamboo, rope, and memories.
Inside this cage stands a man in pajamas,
Black as his mood,
And the mood of his brothers and sisters gathered ‘round him.

Four men stand honor, one at each corner,
Each represents a war: all represent the war continued.
The war our abandoned brothers still fight.

The cage is slowly lifted, like the burden they
Want so badly lifted from their hearts,
And It reveals a blindfolded Veteran,
Blindfolded by the lies “They’ve all come home”.
His hands and legs are shackled with chains,
The chains of those left behind.
He is replaced in the cage by another:
Another brother or sister of the forgotten,
And slowly they bring him home…

Home to those who shall never forget.
One by one his family, Veterans of Vietnam, Korea, and all wars,
Honor him, salute him, and hug him.
It’s a hug of understanding, a hug of compassion, a hug of love.

I stand before this Veteran who breathes the same as I,
Who bleeds the same as I, yet I hold him in higher esteem.
I shake his hand in friendship, I hug him for his pain,
I cry with him, I cry for him, I salute him for his valor.

I shall do this a million times,
I shall teach others to do this a million times,
Until a chorus Is heard across the land,
Ten million voices strong as they echo from the cage,
Bring them home! Bring them home! Bring them home!