Monkey in the middle
sitting in the zoo
just some bars
between me and you.
Monkey, monkey says
to me “only yesterday
I saw you swinging
through the trees.”
I said “Monkey, monkey
that wasn’t me,
higher than three feet
makes me weak at the knees.”
That monkey looks at me
says “You’d look better with a tail
but you cut it off
to make you look smart.”
I replied “Monkey
if only you went to school,
you’d know it’s evolution
that made me a fool.”
Monkey said one last time,
“Every man is meant to be free.”
I turned to answer
then I realized
the monkey is me.
Peterborough Poets 