Set me off into the Black
far beyond the stars
set me off into the Wild
far beyond the wilderness.
Set me free of mortal hearts
and weighted thoughts,
so low, so low,
and break these chains that
bind me to this coil—
what life,
what prison
now is this?
Press the suit and
straighten up that tie,
you are a man, it says
but you are just a boy
playing at a world of
mysterium and drama that has
devoided itself of plot.
–
There is a key
to thee and thine and mine,
and nestled just behind that door
is freedom yet incarnate.
In a breath, breathe—
so few have ever tasted
the freshness of the air—
recycled reconfigurations of reality—
that will be your paycheck please—
and this feeling is not falsified,
unbound, unguarded it yearns
for the taking—just breathe—
and feel the air,
feels, felt, feeling
this momentary being—
all I want is to breathe
and to feel, yet to be,
to stretch beyond perception
and feel the days beyond
that calendar—no shifts scheduled here.
–
No vacancy,
sincerest apologies
this mind is mine and yet
one waits beyond, yet yours—
this mirror of a soul you grasp
what a reflection is it not?
There is the dawning,
the rain is falling down
and through the swirl of purple haze,
these diamonds dribble through the
emerald leaves, like tiny lovers—
in your caress, this breath unbidden
slithers through my chest
and down into my roots—
I am born again, stretching
for the clouds.
Air, give me air,
Prayer and dream and reverie
are forever in the field—
give me space to work.
My latest contribution to the wonderful One Shot Poetry Wednesdays! Once you’ve had a look, check out some of the other One Shot Poets as well– they’re a skilled bunch of poets, looking to form a community and support one another. Enjoy!
“Set Me Free” evokes the creative sense. “recycled reconfigurations of reality— / that will be your paycheck please—” Amazing poem.
Thank you!
Ah, the chains of society. This was a wonderful piece. The flow was remarkable.
A bondage we are born into from birth.
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Oh God! I think you voiced my thoughts, Chris!!! Rules, regulations, restrictions – sadly, these seem to have become the very principles of human existence! When man gets to use his mind, do his thing, be himself.. does he ever get to do all of this? Will he ever?
“air, give me air” to me, says it all!!! Yes, it’s suffocating, these fumes of insanity, choking you every minute of your life! Sometimes makes me wonder which is the better world..
Thanks to poetry, I think I’ve found my “better” world in this world too…
I really loved your poem… and could relate to every bit of it (or so I think)
Thank you so much.
Yes, as you say, these rules, regulations, restrictions–they seem to be an intricate part of society. Necessary for society and civilization to operate and exist, but what of the individual? What do they need? Ah, questions…
The urge to be free is excellently expressed here.
Great read.
Thank you. We all need a bit of freedom, lest the monotony suffocate! Just a matter of finding what each of us needs…
set me free evokes the emotion and you paint it vivdly…diamonds through emerald…nice…thanks for linking up with oneshot!
Always a pleasure!
Good heavens, Chris, you have expressed me to a tee. How did you know? You are so adept with your words; nothing here is superfluous. I especially related to this part:
“Press the suit and
straighten up that tie,
you are a man, it says
but you are just a boy
playing at a world of
mysterium and drama that has
devoided itself of plot.”
This just gets me right where I live, under my skin and me wanting to wriggle free. Brilliant. 🙂
Well thank you for reading and for the wonderful comment! Always good to know others can relate. We all are struggling for bits and pieces of freedom, in whatever way we can.
well written!
smiles,
Thanks!
Loved the theme of the poem and this fall into my head as I read it.
Give me the road,
and the stars for cover
give me the sea ,
and the moon for lover
make it real
and not a dream
so I wake to freedom,
clear of the dust of cities
I do poetry for fun rather than publication so for this week only, I’ve nervously posted an example from each of my blogs: an Elegy from Scribbles and Diversions, a Gogyohka from Random Twitter Stories, and free verse poem from Random Short Stories.
Ah, and what a lovely little poem in turn! Thank you for that–always nice to have poetry met with other poetry.
And I understand about the inspiration–all of mine tend to be for fun or spur of the moment as well, but I do always find it nice to reach out to a community of other writers. To see and to share and to grow. Definitely not about publication itself.
Some wonderful bits you have there yourself. I particularly enjoyed your elegy, “No, shed no tears for I need them not.” Very surreal, and with it, powerful. “You had a river of affection, I had a drought.”–Darkly beautiful. Great story.
I love the reference of man and boy…..the fine line between child and adult….and the quest for freedom…very nice piece..bkm
Does age set us free? Or shackle us more? So many things come and go…
Thanks for stopping by, and for the comment! I’m glad you liked it.
give me space to work – read it a few times – not sure if i get it right – but if – then congrats on looking at it in such a poetic and unbowed and bold way – love your writing!
You honor me with your words. I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Freedom is one of our most cherished ideals. Somehow, adulthood has a way of usurping it. The phrase “all I want is to breathe and to feel, yet to be” really sums it up for me. In fact, that line could have been in my poem this week.
One of the most cherished ideals, and yet one of those we all too often see falling by the wayside. And you are right, age really does seem to chip away at these freedoms, too–how much the mind changes, how much we are bound, the mind and the imagination, by such a simple thing as time…
Thank you for visiting and for the comment!
Very, very well done! You captured so much in these words. Masterful, what more can I say…. 🙂
Why thank you so much! It means a lot coming from someone so skilled as yourself.
Enjoyed building tension of inhaling, inhaling and wish to exhale, release, freedom.
Breathe deep–what sweeter taste, this freedom we so seek? Thanks!
Ode to the rebellious spirit, break the yoke , break free break the chains that bind thee. Mankind has imposed a self imposed exile from Eden with rules and regulations, so true.
Love this poem.
Joanny
Thank you! Always a pleasure to have one work met with another. Well put. The red tape, this stifling maze of laws and orders, so noble in goal, so stifles.
As they say, civilization is the life of us, and so inevitably will it be the death of us.
Fantastic poem Chris, amazing lines and am so glad i stopped by. These words below resonate within me.. felt them so deeply.
“There is a key
to thee and thine and mine,
and nestled just behind that door
is freedom yet incarnate.”
I came via Onestoppoetry.
Wild Rose~
Always great to have another onestopper swing on by. Thanks for the read and for the comment!
been away for a week and am catching up with all the fantastic works shared at One Stop..and this most certainly was…just from the title i was drawn in..this poem worked so well..thanks for sharing Pete
Thanks Pete! Glad you enjoyed it.