“Freedom-Horrible,Horrible Freedom”
These, the subtitled, panicked utterances of ants when released by a zero-gravity Homer Simpson from their glassed colony by his wayward head whilst floating absent-mindedly around his capsule, chasing a potato chip, above a cartoon earth.
The ants first concern on realizing their impending demise had been to “Protect the Queen”.
The Simpsons and complex insect societal constructs aside, today’s piece, the 25th poem from “A Light Goes On”, is at a surface level, about a city state looking for freedom from it’s foreign invaders.There might even be a Hoff on a wall singing in this created citadel.
On a deeper level though,I think,as De Gaulle,echoing Louis XIV, might have exclaimed- “L’état,C’ést Moi”.
The city state of my mind has witnessed turmoil, loss, civil war and tribal conflict.
It has endured various oppressors, who coming adorned in the robes of liberation, claimed dominion over the state (of mind), but fail to hold it.
There is indeed a horrible freedom when the status quo abruptly ends.
Your streets become uneasily quiet.
The silence from self imposed curfew becomes the most violent sound in itself.
You have two choices.
The first is to embrace the anarchy and ultimately become a failed state.
The second, to continue the comic thread that we started with-retreat to cave,create an alter ego,wear only black (or very very dark grey)and let imagination and creativity save your city.
Algo.
P.S.-My second collection, Unreconciled Doors, is the subject of Season 2 of the Algo Poetry-Behind the Lines podcast-follow it on your favourite podcast provider to listen along. If you subscribe you are essentially getting my first two collections (including the first,which is BE.aGaIN) and a gown and mask in the delivery room of where the poems were born!!. Season 3 coming soon!.
Algo Poetry-Behind the Lines 