Do they not look delightful Perched upon the wire, Chatting together Against the sky?

When I see the same birds Through the twisted wire Of bird-cages, penned up… I ask..why?

(Picture of Munias in a bird cage from the FB page of Gopakumar Namboothiri, with his permission)

Why can we not just admire The flower set upon the bush Or smiling from its tree?

Why do we need to cage and tie down beings That look so much better, when they are free?