“The Enclosure”

I told you in the summer that my enclosure was made of glass.

In the fall, you became curious about my habitat.

So, you started knocking on the glass.

The glass began to crack, but I was still inside. Comfortable but a little bit annoyed by the noise.

By winter, you recruited the other guests. People who also were peeking through my enclosure and wanted to get inside.

Forty fists banging on the glass until it finally broke.

And you SHRIEKED because the shards hurt your hands.

And I screamed and cried because you made a mess of my enclosure.

Pieces of glass everywhere. In the moss. In the vines. In the flowers.

So, I left. And when I left, I stepped in the glass.

My feet bleeding.

Afraid. Confused. And hallucinating from the pain.

The enclosure is yours now.

I'm outside.

I'm uncomfortable out here.

The tiny pieces of glass remain embedded in my feet.

When you entered the enclosure, you learned that it wasn't what you expected.

So, you followed me back out into the world. Still watching.

Screaming because you perceive me to be an animal.

But I'm the one you set free.

It is spring.

And while you may still hunt me,

I am alive.

Themes: Boundaries, autonomy, emotional liberation.

Analysis: This poem explores the concept of boundaries, both emotional and physical, and the importance of protecting one’s sense of self. The enclosure represents both the confines and the protection these boundaries provide. The poem speaks to the challenge of maintaining one's autonomy and the eventual freedom that comes with respecting and setting those limits.