Thursday 22 April 2021

WEP APRIL 2021 - FREEDOM MORNING

 

Freedom Morning is a watercolour by Claude Clark, the African American artist and art educator, painted in 1941.


FREEDOM

She shook her head in dismay

When would he take her seriously?

Dismissing her thoughts so airily

He might be the big shot at his office

But he didn’t have to be so callous.

His clothes were laundered and pressed

She massaged his shoulders when he was stressed

His dinner was always hot and nourishing

She’d spend all day tidying and cleaning


Now she wanted to go out to work

Starts work as a part-time clerk

She sees the kids off to school

Takes her turn at the car pool

Returns home by four

Quickly mops the floor

Does the laundry

Longing to be free


A few more years

Lots more secret tears

Babies grow into teenagers

They still need a chauffeur


Promoted at work

No longer just a clerk

In charge of a group of people

Her mind and brain more agile

 

It won’t take long

Before she is gone

The last laugh will be on her

As she walks out of the door.

 

Word count: 166







17 comments:

  1. Action packed poem. She's so busy. Don't she get some message from yhe other half as well?
    Hope she takes breaks in between her chores and job.
    Wish her all the freedom she could endure....

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  2. Hi,
    The torment of a one-sided marriage where one person only thinks of himself. It's a pity really because something could happen that would prevent her from moving forward and her tomorrow would never come.

    Shalom aleichem

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  3. I'm glad she has hope for the future. It's so sad when people become trapped

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  4. Hi Sally - oh so true for so many ... but she certainly has worked out her future ... and I'm so pleased she was able to work her way up the ladder. Love the way you are able to write poetry like this - congratulations ... all the best - Hilary

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  5. I know how she feels. Sometimes, marriage can be a prison. Enjoyed your take on Freedom.
    Nancy

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  6. I'm glad she has the courage to break out of the confinement of her 'wifely' duties. So many women subjugate their lives to their husbands for the sake of peace or family. But this woman didn't. She is working on her own professional and social fulfillment. Good for her!

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  7. She had the patience to wait for her day. Good for her, timing is everything!

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  8. Hi Sally. Oh, the freedom that comes with financial and professional independence. I so recommend it. Great take.
    -Sonia from https://soniadogra.com

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  9. I felt for her here, longing for more and in a marriage where she wasn't appreciated as she should have been. I'm glad she finally got to where she wanted to be. She deserved it.

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  10. Raising money to gain ones freedom. Always a strong story. Good work.

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  11. I always abhorred the idea that women were supposed to be content to be servile to men and, in fact, aspire to be so. The fact that my mother's name on her credit card was "Mrs. Professor Owl" rather than "Susan Owl" always bothered me. I secretly started considering myself a feminist when I was eight years old.

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  12. Sad, and yet, inspiring. A one-sided marriage is a terrible thing. I wonder if there's any other way to work on it? In any case, I'm glad she has a plan for her future if things get too bad. You pack a lot into very few words. Nicely done.

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  13. Working towards financial independence and towards freedom. An unequal marriage is a terrible endurance test. You conveyed the stress and the hope in a very small wordcount. Well done.

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  14. An inspiring and well paced poem. Well done Sally.

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  15. I like the way she silently plots her future. It's a pity she couldn't escape years ago, but it's good to know she looks toward a life of freedom eventually. It's the type of story that makes me angry, but well done Sally, with capturing the essence of the prompt.

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  16. Parenthood is a devastatingly difficult stage and I am sure the opposite is as well. It is sad the way many plot a future and find it impossible to enjoy their current moment. A very thought-provoking poem!

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  17. Very neat poem, full of energy. Well done.

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