A Poem Called Freedom

Freedom Sleeps 

With one eye open.

Her best friend is named Hope.

She writes Poetry 

Every Friday night

With the Last Poets. 

She Walks in

Shoes that Whisper. 

Everybody knows her Name.

FREEDOM. FREEEEEDOM

FreedomFriends includes…

Unconventional, Radical, Nonconforming,

Revolutionary

Warriors

Change-Agents

Activists

Artists

Educators 

And so many more.

Join Freedom 

Downtown at her place.

Between Liberation Boulevard

and

Independence Avenue 

For A

Sweet Meet and Greet.  

Casually Converse

with your

Unsung, Unbought, Unbossed,

Brothers and Sisters. 

They all Know Freedom.

They Know her Intimately.

They love her.

They adore her.

They kill for her.

They will protect, 

Honor and defend her.

You can find Freedom 

Deep down inside

John Coltrane’s mouth.

She wildly waits 

As she Wraps around

Miles’ fingers.

Freedom

Sings and Sings and Sings 

With Ella’s voice.

Freedom jumps off 

A cliff 

Looks Up!

And Always

Land on her feet.

Freedom is Fearlessly Ensconced

in 

Everything Ebony. 

Onyx Ocean Waves Echo

Echo Echo

Her Harmonious Heartbeats.

Her Grandmother's name is 

MaMaWisdom.

Freedom loves to

Daily DayDream

With her cousins…

Liberty

Autonomy

And Justice.

Freedom sleeps with anyone she wants to. 

Her clothes are invisible.

Her hair is carefully colored camouflage.

When She yells status quo quakes.

Her favorite food is Everything.

She is never late.

She is never Alone.

Her Dreams tell the Future.

Freedom sleeps 

With one eye open.

Her best friend is named Hope.

She writes Poetry 

Every Friday night

With the Last Poets.

Her Face can shift shape in a second.

Harriet, Biko, Duke

Tony Morrison

Tupac, Angela, Maya,

James Baldwin

HipHop, and Kehinde Wiley.

Freedom Travels 

24/7/3 6 5.

She needs no passport. 

No money. No invitation.

No Borders.

Freedom’s Favorite Cousins 

Always Cookin up 

Something.

Siblings: Economic and Artistic,

Twin Cousins: Science and Academic.

Her oldest cousin is always close by.

They call her Political.

Freedom Fights for

All

Oppressed. 

All Imprisoned.

All In Unjust

Prison Zones.

Physical and Mental 

Prison Zones, too.

Freedom Babies 

Each born premature

With untold stories  

Carved into history.

Some were born. Decades old.

Freedom named her Maiden Babies 

Speech.

Wonder.

Live.

Think.

Open.

Safe.

Love.

Freedom will live forever.

She will always be there.

Whispering in your ear.

And

she

sleeps 

with one eye open.

Her best friend is named Hope.

And

She writes Poetry 

Every Friday night

With the Last Poets.