Poem: Free, But Not Free
A work in progress, much like our freedom
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Hello friends,
Today I’m sharing a work in progress with you, a poem I’ve been working on since last October, about the nature of freedom for Black people.
FREE, BUT NOT FREE
They said we were free
Unshackled from the need
To pick their crops
But we had to wait
And pick their crops
And pay them rent
Before we could truly be free
So we were not free
They said we were free
To leave their land
And find a place to be
But we could never own
The soil we tilled
And could only walk
In the spaces they allowed
So we were not free
They said we were free
To get some education
But not too much
They didn’t want unrest
So they priced it high
Putting higher learning
Out of reach for most
So we were not free
They said we were free
To move up in society
And take a better place
But only if we were light
But only if we looked right
But only if we played white
If not, we kept our humble lot
So we were not free
They said we were free
To travel to other countries
To make a better life
For us, and for our children
They never said that there
Just as at home
We’d face the same distrust
So we were not free
They said we were free
To mix with others
Who didn’t look like us
But they didn’t want us
They really didn’t want us
Burning crosses in their ire
Expelling us with fire
So we were not free
They say we are free
Civil rights secured
Though others took the spoils
Still despised and exiled
Still marked for death
In the countries we helped build
So we are not free
We are not free
When will we be free?
Thanks for reading,
Sharon
P.S. If you’re a paid subscriber, there’s a special treat. Look out for an audio version of this poem, read by yours truly, in an hour or so.
Check out some of my other poems below:
I Didn’t Know (published in Decolonial Passage)
“Free, But Not, Free” poem © Sharon Hurley Hall, 2021. All Rights Reserved.
Image credit: Getty images: boonyachoat
© Sharon Hurley Hall, 2022. All Rights Reserved.
I am an anti-racism writer, a professional B2B writer and blogger, and co-host of The Introvert Sisters podcast. If you value my perspective, please consider upgrading to a paid subscription.
Hi Sharon, I like the poem and the sentiments expressed. These are the the messages that need to be read. Wanted to share a thought with you about some of the lines. Will try to connect later.
This is a very important reflection, Sharon. As I reread this powerful poem many memories surged into my mind, and one of my thought was, given our collective experiences, we would wait forever, and never really be free. So we should think of ourselves as free right now - free in our minds, in our psyches, and free to challenge every indignity or unfair law – or condescension - we may encounter. On a personal level we can treat such unpleasant contacts as though they were outside the norm - the epitome of bad manners. It's not easy, but how else would we be really free if we do not take that freedom?
That’s my two cents. Thanks for stimulating our thoughts, and keep up the excellent work.