Abducted and Civilized

You had been born a decent soul, glowing with rose-pedal cheeks, an unearthly smile, wearing a gold colored crown made of paper mache and glittering tinsel, lying in the manger for the town's production of the Nativity of Christ and you knew deep down in your spirit, even before you registered memory and consciousness, that the world was made for you and you had a special existence waiting in the balance, and everything you tried you were deemed a natural and those who knew you and bore witness said you were born for great things and in all things you were as a wild thoroughbred galloping across the untamed country of American West before it was civilized, and the first time you ever stole anything was a fishing rod from the Wal-Mart when you were seven and security caught you and your parents beat you and you learned awful young what it meant to be a part of earth, to be human, and you developed vulture eyes and they beat you with every mistake you made until you were broken and soon you'd been taken to the other side where your spirit dulled and you listened and you obeyed and from then on with each night you waited to be saved and spoke to the stars and each night when you fell asleep with your arms spread like featherless wings we dreamed with you to awaken again.