he crawls across the rough red ground

moving determined without a sound

he lifts his head and waves it

slowlllyyy

back and forth

tasting the air with his tongue

she walks along the banks

dipping down to drink her fill

stepping lightly on the wooden planks

ears pricked for sounds unknown

they walk and slither and crawl oblivious

for they know not of the obvious fact

there they are, trapped in a cage

a human’s zoo, to be exact

perhaps they long to be released

to the faded jungles of their childhood

as i watch them trudge wearily

on and on, every day

i see them standing, faces listless, feathers still

even the donkey has silenced its bray

their eyes cry out in sadness

their noses nudge the glass

free us, free us

say their pleading minds

take us, please

to greener grass.