Shackles

Shackles,
I feel shackled by laws,
rules,
fear.

These shackles restrain my actions,
I am told its for the best,
they prevent me from doing wrong,
and keep me from wandering astray.

Shackles protect me from danger,
as I am not the only one chained,
others are bound by shackles,
their reach to me constricted.

I dare not break these shackles
as some bound are vicious beast,
however others are gentle creatures,
who's kindness the shackles hide.

Their kindness I cannot see,
they are locked away by shackles,
and I realize,
so am I.

Chained by these shackles for ages I grow weak,
locked away in this cellar I become naive,
I cannot face beast that have broken,
and I shun the kindness from the others.

I feel uncomfortable with these shackles,
I realize they are so tight they hurt,
the chains spiral around,
entrapping me.

With these shackles I am stuck,
drowning in an ocean of cowardice,
I suffocate from fear,
I feel I can't do anything,

I decide,
no more,
no more shackles,
I wish to break from these chains.

I've lived my life in shackles,
walking a path led by who holds them,
never thinking of breaking them,
so I'll finally be in control.

Living without shackles,
freely I can explore,
away from the horrible beast!
but away from everyone else...

Our lives are bound by shackles,
laws chain us as a society,
together we are servants,
our government is our master.

If we break the shackles,
we are nothing but outlaws,
we become free men,
but primal we are savages.

Free to loot and plunder,
free to kill one another,
without the cuffs of shackles,
we are all wild beast.

Our masters may be benevolent,
so why should we break these shackles?
if they are tight we should just ask to loosen them,
then we can be led to a better place.

But maybe our masters are tyrants,
our shackles will be tight,
but chained we stand together,
if broken we are apart.

If the shackles are unbearable,
and our masters refuse to loosen them,
wrapped tightly together we form a bond,
and we unite for a revolution.

We can loosen them ourselves,
and finally we'll feel freedom,
but still we must keep these shackles,
to stay together as a society.

Maybe they need a change,
they become rusted and old,
we'll decide to make new shackles,
but ones made of loving rope.

We can tie each other together,
make sure we don't stray to far,
we climb mountains together,
by following great people leading us up.

I have now made a decision,
that until that great day comes,
I still need to live with these shackles,
even if they are uncomfortably tight.

Constricting I want to break from everyone around me,
so I loosen them and I feel better,
I feel less bound to fear,
I travel a world yet undiscovered,

I can never fully be rid of these shackles,
but gradually I shall loosen them more,
everyday I can move less restricted,
everyday I'll be more free.

- happynamedhero