You say jump
and I’ll ask how high.

I am just a puppet–
like a marionette.
A lifeless body with no feeling
no strength to rebel
not anymore, at least.

Pull on my strings
and I do exactly
what you want me to do.

A while ago
I would have said “no”
telling you that I have a
mind of my own.

But nowadays I don’t
even know.
So much has come crashing
down on me
that it has destroyed
all the thought out of me.

Now I am
a puppet,
complete with an outfit
and a painted face,
ready to do whatever
you want me to.