Howling Monkey in a Tiny Cage
the red velvet curtain rose
the audience stared at the darkened stage then a spotlight turned on and cast a blinding light on a howling monkey in a tiny cage the audience burst into applause the golden cage beneath the spotlight gleaming the audience rose in a standing ovation the monkey shook the cage and kept on screaming a howling monkey in a tiny cage his sharp teeth bared in a grimace of rage the people left the theater looking satisfied the next day’s papers all had glowing reviews a monkey in the spotlight, howling in his cage they said this bold work of art really lit a fuse the monkey got booked on all the talk shows he'd howl just like he did for his stage debut his piercing scream just seemed to come so natural didn't no teleprompter didn’t need no cue a howling monkey in a tiny cage they called him a symbol of our angry age hear him howling, hear him scream hey that’s showbiz man, that monkey’s living the dream see him grimace, see him scowl ain't there something so familiar about that monkey’s tortured howl? but one night he escaped and ran away across the city rooftops to the edge of town he looked out toward the distance, the blackness of the forest he gave a little sigh, then turned around crawled back into the window got back in his cage next day they took him to appear on a TV show he screamed and howled as was expected but something was different, it wasn’t the same you know this howling monkey now seemed like a fake his righteous rage now just another dull heartbreak just another dull heartbreak a howling monkey in a tiny cage |
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