Screen

See the bird, bright feathers plumed,

displays itself because it’s doomed.

For if it’s born it needs must die,

but now how pleasing to the eye!

Screen to sift and screen to see

what shows itself and what might be;

a smoky screen or screen to show,

and what’s behind will never know.

With crossing grids and wire stays

the strangest birds are kept away;

in iron cages fine to see,

but not a thing to be let free.

So if it’s meant to be displayed,

it’s never for its own sake made,

but if a bird could have a brain

it may well think against the grain.

You see if birds with wings can fly,

a bird that’s trapped still loves the sky.

The sorry penguin can but walk,

but clever parrots learn to talk.

So show a bird a mirror and

I doubt it could well understand.

And that’s the lesson for today:

the hiddenness of all display.

See the bird, bright feathers plumed,

displays itself because it’s doomed.

For if it’s born it needs must die,

but now how pleasing to the eye!