Today on haibun Monday I would like us to write about freedom.
Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose
Nothin’, don’t mean nothin’ hon’ if it ain’t free, no no
And, feelin’ good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues
You know, feelin’ good was good enough for me
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee
Freedom is one of the most popular words, but it’s also one of the most misused words we have.
We always think that freedom is something good, but when you think closer it can be hard to leave the cage. In a relationship we chose to limit our freedom by committing most of ourselves to one person. We live in a society where we are constantly free to make choices, which many think of as a burden, and finally our freedom often limits other’s freedom.
If you love somebody, if you love someone,
If you love somebody, if you love someone set them free.
(Free, free, set them free.)
Think of the freedom of driving your car down a highway for instance. You listen to music and if you have a convertible you feel the wind through your hair, but If you look how the road crosses the landscape you will see the cases where the road slices through footpaths and lanes, limiting people (and animals) who want to walk as they have done for centuries.
Or take your freedom of speech. We all know that we might anger someone or we might cause hurt. We might cause damage to ourselves too if we says anything that feels right at the moment.
Or the freedom that money can buy. I love to be able to drink what I want, or eat what I want, but my freedom comes with both benefits and costs.
I would like you to think about both the benefits and the cost of your freedom. Take an example of choices you made to limit or expand your freedom. Are there cases where you have entered the cage, or where you limit your freedom to benefit others.
But freedom is something is something to struggle as Maya Angelou wrote in her poem Caged Bird
When you have written your haibun (please keep the prose under 200 words) and added a haiku, link it below. Take your time to visit others, reflect on freedom and have fun.
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dVerse 
Hello Friends… today we write haibun… hope you can think of a good example of freedom… it can be so much, my wife just came back from a walk by the lake were some kids were playing with water-skies… the noise of their boat of course affected her joy of walking
Hi Bjorn. Got a window of internet so have posted up and will be around to read for an hour. Love the prompt. I take it there’s a free bar tonight then?
The bar is most definitely free… except for the burgundy
Maybe just pass me a bottle of your finest malt then. I’ll nurse it gently.
I might join you 🙂
You’d be most welcome.
Good evening all! I struggled with this one, not least because exam marking has started and most of my time will be taken up with it until July. I’ll be back to read and comment in the morning. 😉
Ouch… not a lot of freedom when you are tied up with student’s writing.
Nice prompt, ~Bjorn. Will read tomorrow.
Sarah – I could not find and read your poem. Maybe you need to re-link it again???
Sorry, Grace – all sorted now.
Freedom – we take it for granted in our country. But I know that in other places and in other communities, people don’t even have the freedom to express themselves, or practice their religion or even pursue full time careers. With more choices, comes the responsibility of being accountable for our choice and decision.
Happy Monday everyone! See you on the poetry trail~
We have freedom… but sometimes I also think we misuse the freedom we have been given. So freedom without responsibility is worthless.
Evening, Poets! Thanks, Bjorn, for this contemplative and challenging prompt! But I have to ask: how can the Burgundy not be free? 🙂
See you all on the poetry trail!
Freedom without rules are hard… that’s the complexity
Hello. Been awhile since I wrote a haibun. Thought I give it a whirl today.
Great to see you whirling
First time here – have posted. Hope it works. Your prompt hit home with me – freedom always a complexity.
Great to see you… always great with a new poet joining
Thank you – lovely community.
Good morning! Freedom stumped me at first…so much potential in the concept/feeling…the Janis Joplin song held me…a short orange juice on ice please 🙂
Orange Juice coming up — sounds most refreshing
Thank you…perfect for waking up 🙂
I love the song Me and Bobby McGee! Freedom comes when there is nothing left to lose!
Dwight
It’s one of my favorites too…