Chains on the Gate

Each day is the same; we all sit here and wait,
listening for the sound of the chains on the gate.
You see, that’s our signal; that’s our cue;
that’s how we know what we're to do.
We all soon learn what each sound is for,
even before someone's open the door.
We get excited when the laundry is clean,
the high point of our week is the day we get canteen!
For an hour of TV, we all rush to line up;
even to take a shower we have to sign up.
Everyone gets quiet when they're doing mail call,
maybe good news for some, but not for all.
Yes, each day is the same, we all sit here and wait;
listening for that sound of the chains on the gate.
One day soon, they'll be sounding for me,
and I'll walk out these doors, finally free!