What does it mean to be free?
What does it mean to be free? To salute the sailors who have returned from war at sea? Or to not have a care in the world as you carve you and your lover’s name into your favorite tree?
What does it mean? to be free? Is the art of being free for you and not me? They say to be free one mustn’t look at the colors on the faces that we see... and yet, you are kept from becoming involved with this foreign word called “free” if you were to look like me. How can that be?
I may be that sailor who has returned from war at sea. Why not salute me? My lover and I may carve our names into that same wood, but they would rather uproot and remove than have black love in a white man’s tree. You see, the only tree that accepts me is an Oak with a limb that hangs me. How can that be?
What does it mean to be free? Correct me if i’m wrong, but freedom should not require innocent people to plea. Not to a country or a government that is built on the whipped backs of those who came before me. Wouldn’t you agree?
What does it mean to be free? To be able to road trip and not fear for your life if you were to stop at a store and had to pee? Hopefully, your hands aren’t in your pockets. Take them out and put them to your sides where they ought to be. Is this it? Is this what it’s like to be free?
There is no way that people see this country and think to themselves, “that country is the key. the key to being free.” Yeah, it’s the key, but only if you don’t have kinky hair and melanated skin like me. But how so if that’s the same way the well-respected Jesus came to be? Would he have been free if you witnessed him nailed to that cross while looking like me?
So this question is strictly for those who have experienced it...
What does it mean to be free? And when will it be available to the people who don’t look like you, but look more like me?
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Author:
moonwriting (
Offline) - Published: October 13th, 2021 00:12
- Comment from author about the poem: Hello! I have been gone for quite some time! My writing has progressed tremendously as you will see in this piece. This is my first spoken-word piece written 8/31/20 and performed 10/6/20. Please please please do not steal. This is an original and it is extremely difficult for me to be this vulnerable with my work. Most of all, please enjoy this read. *I apologize for the formatting. The website changed it*
- Category: Reflection
- Views: 23
- User favorite of this poem: Lauretta13.
Offline)
Comments4
Beautiful
To the known
To the unknown
Questions the mind
What is to be free
Free from restraints
Free from desires
Or free from unwanted glares
What is freedom to you
What is freedom to me
A mere word defined in dictionary
Questions the mind
Wish one can live freely overtime
thank you
I've not really experienced it but I like the feeling you put in this poem
thank you. being different in a country meant to be a melting pot is hard and contradicting
I've not really experienced it but I like the feeling you put in this poem
there are those of course who would have us believe that freedom means that we have nothing else to lose .. my own thoughts on the matter are far more complex and would need a bigger rectangle to post them in .. nevertheless, I am delighted you found me earlier and nudged me in this direction ... Neville
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