I wrote another poem about some memorable artwork by @MichaelWhelan that resonated with me 🙂

The Fool Cage
by Fahim Farook

Beneath the fool cage I sat,
By the world in front of me enrapt.
The ribbon road stretched ahead of me,
Beckoning me to strange lands I would see.

Upon my crag I sat,
The land spread ’round me like a mat.
Here a homestead, there a field,
‘mongst fluffy clouds alien birds wheeled.

The fool cage hovered over me,
With frilly lace on top fluttering gay and free.
A bird wanting to snack on the lace,
Would fall through and be trapped in place.

I gave no thought to the trapped bird,
The call of adventure was all that I heard.
I wanted to be away, journeying the world wide,
Not be stuck at home by my folks’ side.

Little did I know back then,
There were things beyond my ken.
I thought I was master of all I saw,
The world was mine to take or explore.

But with the wisdom of ages now I see,
That things aren’t as I thought them to be.
I thought I was free, roaming far and wide,
Through the lands, I would freely glide.

The world had been my fool cage,
The open road the lace which did me engage.
Now I find myself trapped,
Just like the birds when the fool cage snapped.

The original artwork is here: https://www.michaelwhelan.com/galleries/destinys-road/

My blog post with surrounding information about the poem is here: https://write.farook.org/the-fool-cage/

#Writing #Poetry #Art