Confined

Report No. 1

Some don’t mind.
Those that do are resigned
to the fact that this is how it has to be.

But one
or two try it on.

‘It’s just little old me,’
they say. ‘Surely I
can have a tiny break
from the daily grind
of doing nothing?’

And they smile sweetly.

We are tempted, greatly,
to open the gates:
‘Off you trot then,
go fend for yourselves.’

Idiots!

We could place bets
on how long it takes
for them to come tottering back,
frightened and feverish,
once they discover
what’s out there.

It is tempting.
But we resist.

Fools!