I’m a Free Man – A poem

I’m a Free Man

 

I’m a free man

But I’m no John Wayne

The freedom I have

Is in the depths of my brain;

I’m not subjected to anyone’s fears.

I’ve no allegiance to all that

Least of all my own cares.

I’ve realised that compromise

Is the name of the game.

I don’t need fortune

Notoriety or fame.

I’ll speak my mind

To any woman or man

Whether enemy, king

Politician or fan.

I’ll think what I like

And weigh everything up –

Listen and ruminate

While I fill up my cup.

I value freedom and justice

Not the bully and greed;

Tolerance and empathy

Is the base of my creed.

I want good education

And a fair society.

Regulation and accountability

Could just be the key.

 

Opher 26.12.2017

 

 

For me freedom is not having the right to throw your weight around and do whatever you like. It is about having the right to think for yourself, not be brainwashed by parents or society and to have the right to express your thoughts, to criticise and point the finger.

I do a lot of that.

Too many people think that freedom is anarchy. It isn’t. Freedom requires control and responsibility. It requires being aware of the sensitivities of others and not abusing them. But it also means that in order to be responsible one has to stand up against the idiot people – the fascists and fundamentalists who would take away our freedoms – the bullies and the belligerent.

Freedom requires being true to oneself, considerate of others and possessing the strength to challenge those who need opposing.

I am a free man.

I want a society that gives me my freedom and curbs the nastiness of the nasty.

Freedom is a compromise. We need some degree of regulation. We need laws and we need control of those laws. We need a say and we need to be able to make changes.