Ruth Desjardins They decided what I ought to be
They put me in a box
Tied up with pretty ribbons
In a box they smothered me
But a box can’t hold
A spirit bold
So now I’m living free.
They never asked me how I felt
Or what I thought about
They never knew what dreams I had
Yet, thinking they could help,
They poked and pried
Yet never tried
To see my real self
Each one thought to set me straight
Each one held a box
And tried so hard to fit me in
With shame, and dredge, and fate
No dreams inside –
All dreams must die,
But they were far too late
They were too late to kill a dream
To put a lock on freedom.
Much too late to catch the wind,
Or box a golden sunbeam,
Or chain a thought,
Or tie a knot
To choke a happy daydream.
