Till I...

Cold metal on the neck crushing
Every time I move an inch farther.
Believe me I will not rebel
If that's how you want me to stay
I will stay.
Stay only till I am strong enough
to crush the hard metal into dust.

May be if you starve me enough
I might even smile and pretend
Pretend like I care, like I know
You care.
Pretend till I can be starved
Care only till hunger hurts more.

If your love is something that depends,
Something that is plain leverage
The tasty bone on fetching the stick
I will fetch.
Play till I want to be loved all the same
Till I realize that prize is not worth the game.

Even if I am denied choice because
You think I will choose wrong
If I am caged because you care,
I will let you.
Let you make my choices till I can deny
Deny to be docile to be petted.

The final moments of 'till' are here
When its done, I shall not ask but take
Because it is not when you "let me"
but when I do because I want to
that I shall be truly free.