Welcome to Dandiland and poem

This is my first post. I finished a poem today that somewhat sets the stage for this blogspot. While this one is serious, there are many sides to a box, some with a much lighter bent. We've all built boxes for ourselves and have had others try to fit us into a certain box. It is a lifelong struggle to live outside of the box without stepping into another one that is possibly more confining than the first. Most of all, we all just want to have at least a little say, a little control, about what happens in our life. Feeling powerless can be suffocating.

The Red Box

If I must run your race
If I must color my face
Within lines drawn by you
If I must cry without tears
And be brave for your fears
I’ll be gray in no time.

So if you’re going to stuff me
Into a box
At least let me paint it red.

If you want me to fit into this box
Much too small if you had looked at me lately
If you want me to crawl in willingly
And endure this pain silently
If you want me to enjoy my view of nothing
Craving light more than life
Living without a fight
I’ll be gray in no time.

So if you’re going to stuff me
Into a box
At least let me paint it red.

This box was built for you
By those who never knew you
Now you want it for me
You think it will keep me free
From bad choices?
Within this box
Inside these locks
My only choice is whether or not to breathe.
I can barely breathe--
I’m sure I’ll be gray in no time.

So if you’re going to stuff me
Into a box
At least let me paint it red.

ADR copyright 2006