What Is Freedom?

New World Order, Poetry, Slavery, The Damned, The Militarization of Police Departments Across America, The U.S. Military, U.S. Government, War 1 Minute

Bob Marley

What is freedom, but a word.
It doesn’t mean a thing.
We shall crawl and never get up.
Our voices forgot how to sing.

This rope encircling our necks,
tightens when we pull away.
Not far are we allowed to go,
only our thoughts are left to stray.

As slaves, we have no rights,
nor can we escape the darkness ahead.
There’ll be no flame to burn the noose,
and put an end to tyranny’s spread.

Our burden is of our own making.
With the devil, we made a deal.
If he let’s us live in bondage,
on bended knee, we’ll kneel.


Written by,
Shelby I. Courtland
©2014 Shelby I. Courtland

Published by ShelbyCourtland

I am an advocate for the poverty stricken, homeless, hungry, voiceless people who are considered to be the 'unwashed' masses but whom I consider to be the unsung heroes for surviving a never ending battle waged against them in the form of poverty wages, no benefits, living paycheck to paycheck, needing medical coverage while employed, trying to feed their families on stagnant wages that have not kept pace with inflated prices. And so the battle continues.....

Published

8 thoughts on “What Is Freedom?”

    1. True, Lou and that is why in the poem, I state, “Our burden is of our own making.” We take the easy way out and the easy way out is just pretend that everything is right as rain and if we mutely acquiesce to everything that is flung at us, our oppressors will let us keep some freedoms, some rights. We don’t even have the sense God gave a goat to realize that the more we allow our oppressors to take from us, the more they will and soon any semblance we had of freedom, we can kiss it the fuck goodbye! Yes, that shit is on us and we’re not going to do a goddamn thing about it because we’ve gone soft and pliable so long as the lights are on for the majority of us and of course we have the all important Facebook and Twitter.

      Yes, we are our own worse enemy.

      Thanks for taking the time to comment Lou!

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  3. Freedom is no more than tolerance for those who stay within their place and within the rules.

    Within the fence
    chihuahuas are huge
    as they bark at the pit bull
    it’s their turf, a refuge

    Free to do as he pleases
    after all in his yard
    he becomes the fiercest of warriors
    and that fence is his guard

    While in the fence it doesn’t matter
    the size of his foe
    his bravery comes forth
    and he puts on a great show

    Yes this little dog knows
    he’s got enough common sense
    that his freedom exists
    inside of the fence

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    1. “Freedom is no more than tolerance for those who stay within their place and within the rules.”

      I’ve got to hand it to you Beej! That right there, sums it all up!

      And your poem is spot on!

      I hope you have been well. Haven’t seen you around, but glad you stopped in. Hope your Labor Day was great!

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      1. for the most part, our calls to world of words and issues have taken us in very different directions. i still like to stop by from time to time though. i’ll try to say hello a little more often. stay well and as always, stay true to who you are.

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