Shahla Latifi

The Cage


I loathe the cage in the corner of the garden.  
A cage hangs in an antique shop.  
The cage of neglect since the birth of my first child.  

I detest the cage of conservatism that weakens the spirit.  
The cage that confines a wounded woman within her troubled mind.  

As a child—bright as the backyard sunflower—I wept the first time I saw a cage full of beautiful doves.  
Unspoken,  
Frightened,  
I realised the sad side of humankind.  

Shahla Latifi  
March 2025