I do not know how I came by this copy, but I have known children who felt this way. I do not know who the author is.

Caged

I am so lonely, so very lonely.
Nobody really listens to me, no one seems to care.
I am like an animal in a cage,
Kicking and scratching,
Longing to be free of the iron bars
Which lock me in.
People smile as they go by,
Admiring my tricks and saying how smart I am
For an animal.
They look in through the bars of my cage
And I turn and look at them.
But no one opens the door.
They are afraid to let me out.
They don’t want me to get hurt.
There are those who let me out.
I have grown to love them very much.
The rest of them just turn their heads and go their separate ways.
If some of them would only get to know me,
They would see what I can do.
Please unlock my cage!

____________________

The poet is a blind student
who has been mainstreamed
throughout her school career.
She was in the 6th grade when
she wrote this poem.