Free from the darkness which held me tight
Free from the nappy I’d wear at night
Free from the hand which took me to walk
Free from the rule to work without talk
Free from the joys of sleeping till ten
Free from the need to come home again
Free from the days of not needing cash
Free from the impulse to hurry or dash
Free from the parents standing by me
Free from the future once easy to see
Free from the lightness I felt in my heart
Free from the summers which now barely start
Free from the feeling of being a boy
Free from the freedom I used to enjoy
—
This freedom poem was written to celebrate National Poetry Day, 2017. How does the view of the narrator change throughout the poem? How old do you think the narrator is? Are there any stages you would add to the poem? What does freedom mean to you?