Freedom Song

Playing around with lines by T.S. Eliot and sounds. Written a little while ago, longing for an end to the lengthy lockdown in Greece.

Freedom Song

                       

“I’ve known mornings evenings afternoons

I’ve measured out my life in coffee spoons”

                                      T.S. Eliot in The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

 

 

I’ve known mornings, evenings, afternoons

I’ve measured out my soul in ancient runes

That none can decipher, figure out or find.

Hear my deep throaty wailing in the night

Like the timeless cry of the flying loons

Over frozen lakes of northern climes.

 

More “measures,” that hated word, promised soon.

Closing schools and shops again, locking us in.

A word so badly out of tune

With budding leaves and almond blooms,

With waves that lap the shore, a sight

I wonder when I’ll see once more.

Lingering over a coffee, taking off in the car

Driving along that starlit road, window down,

Wind brushing my hair, maskless, I softly croon

A song of freedom under the rising moon.

 

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

I enjoyed the poetry dear Sherri.
"Lingering over a coffee, taking off in the car
Driving along that starlit road, window down,
Wind brushing my hair, maskless, I softly croon
A song of freedom under the rising moon."
I understand the above lines. A long drive to the lake with the moon in view. Perfect night. Thank you for sharing the amazing poetry and your thoughts.
Coyote

[Paul Bell]

We're slowly but surely getting back to what we call normal in Britain.
This really has been a great warning to us though, never take freedom for granted as 2020 has shown us.
(2020, the year to be erased.) The good times will return, and you'll be singing to freedom again.

[Einstein Noodle]

the turn really surprised me .. i was drifting through hieroglyphs and Celtic Viking ghosts then hit V2 .. rocked me back to reality .. damnable Virus ... i am very fortunate and live quite rural, retired and have no struggle spending "alone time" ... not a complete hermit .. i do love the meet with people .. just not needed often .. things here in AR, USA have opened up a lot. In my county we had 0 new cases for weeks and last week we had 1 .. we are fortunate. i am wishing you well ..living in Greece with so much beauty to walk thorugh .. as well as missing your companions meeting at a Cafe' ... hang in .. i think we are getting around the bend .. a very wide curve; but around it non-the-less .. peace and joy!
E.

[Sherri Moshman Paganos]

Really enjoyed your comment. I guess maybe it was a bit of a contrast between the 1st and 2nd stanza and its return to reality. Glad to hear that Covid has retreated in your area, excellent news. it's a matter of a few weeks now before we can "get out" and enjoy the beauty
S.

[Einstein Noodle]

i am totally sick of it ... >;/ more devastating than our worst of floods .. except it spares the buildings and countryside .. the perfect weapon it seems :[

[Sherri Moshman Paganos]

I suppose we all are --

[Einstein Noodle]

[fierceauthor]

This to me is a good poem to represent the feeling people have had about COVID-19 Qurantine, I love the word choice and tone.

[Sherri Moshman Paganos]

Thanks,fierceauthor, appreciate your comments. Yes, we've all had enough...
S.

[Kerra]

This is really good, much enjoyed your write

[Sherri Moshman Paganos]

Thanks ystorm for kind review.
S.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

The sound of the loons, the peace of a lake remind me of "On Golden Pond"---and the idea
that we used to want to get away from it all for some peace and quiet. Now, it seems most of us
want to gravitate towards the noise and congestion...we want busy, we want people,
we want to be social again.
this is a very elegant way to say that.
j.

[Sherri Moshman Paganos]

I think I remember some kind of loons from "On Golden Pond." Good point -- the irony of it, now we seek social noise, not quiet. Thanks for comment Jacob.
S.

[Chris Shaw]

We are easing out of lockdown here after three and a half months of pent up hell. Nothing like it to make us appreciate all the freedom we had and took for granted. There are some excellent lines in Freedom Song and you convey the mood of frustration and imprisonment so well. That sense of longing to just get out and do all the things we used to, meeting friends and family, having fun without having to wear masks or keep two metres apart. I wonder with you as well. How long will it be? We are living with a great deal of sadness in extraordinary challenging times. Lovely work Sherri.

Chris

[Sherri Moshman Paganos]

I know in England that you're finally "getting out." The pent up feeling needs to break loose to feel human again after a year of too much grief and confusion -- trial and error measures (no one really knows) Thanks again Chris, for lovely comments, S.

[emmajoy]

' Hear my deep throaty wailing in the night - Like the timeless cry of the flying loons - Over frozen lakes of northern climes. '

Although sad, such glorious words, finely laid and so near to so many peoples' heart. The lockdown has chained us to walls literal and imagined; the lack of freedom is horrific, most if not all, feel as you but -unable to express, ' 'Measures; .. .. ' A word so badly out of tune - With budding leaves and almond blooms, - With waves that lap the shore, a sight I wonder when I’ll see once more. '

Your final phrase is as near a whispered 'amen' as can be. Read twice, found spiritual.

[Sherri Moshman Paganos]

Thanks for your lovely review Emmajoy and your finding the poem "spiritual" -- I like that! It hasn't been an easy year. Such a need to cry out and break out.

[Chris]

You do dream well...Knowing what you do, when would you expect your authorities to allow you to again live that dream?

[Sherri Moshman Paganos]

Thanks Chris. Well we can wander out on weekends now, by middle of May fully free.

[Chris]

Best of luck with that.