Gregory Richard Barden Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

Liberty, Lost

A day like any other
          Brighter than the norm, if anything
               Enjoying it thoroughly, warm sun on my face
     Left the car home for just that reason, walking

My life - a bit mundane by some standards, perhaps
          But satisfying and comfortable, with interludes of joy ... pleasure
               I suppose, in retrospect, that I had taken it for granted
     Depending on the expected and routine to frame daily habit

Yes, I must admit that ... now
          I had taken it ALL horribly for granted
               Here in the "land of the free and the home of brave"
     The United States - last bastion of dreams unrealized

For no sooner had I stepped onto the crosswalk at Mass Ave, when it ended
          My average life, I mean ... more accurately, my freedom
               Gone in an instant, when the world went to hell
     My beloved country - the most grand and democratic in man's history

Had taken a dive into the yawning abyss, and liberty with it, overnight
          A military coup, sparked initially by the crisis at the border
               Had taken place in the wee hours, and sans any sort of warning ...
     To anyone, and all those who were of professional, medical or IT ilk

Were summarily rounded up for "control processing and reintegration"
          In a matter of moments I found myself in an armored vehicle
               Handcuffs and ankle straps, along with about thirty others
     All of us in stunned silence, except for the few tears and sobs, uncontrolled

Free one moment, captive the next, and life changed forever
          Where we were headed, I knew not
               But I'd soon find out ...
     I could see through a slit in the rear door ...

And as we crossed the Mass Ave Bridge into Cambridge
          A reflection off the River Charles lit the inside of the military transport
               What would turn out to be the very last rays of sunlight ...
     That I would ever see.






~ 3rd Place ~  in the "Freedom To Nothing To Something" Poetry Contest, Delilah Ventura, Judge & Sponsor.

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Gershon Wolf April 1, 2019 at 11:17 PM I think that Caren may be on to something with her comment. This, indeed, reads like a prelude to a real page-turner... Why not give it a run?! Best wishes, Gershon Gregory Richard Barden April 2, 2019 at 1:09 PM That's very kind, my friend, and I may do so one of these days ... I've wanted to write a novel for some time, though I'd like it to be sci-fi, I think. Blessings and thanks, Gershon! :-)

Caren Krutsinger March 30, 2019 at 9:51 PM This reads like a wonderful novel that I would like to read in her entirety when you finish the last chapter, Gregory. It is simply a wonderful beginning, but begs for more. Gregory Richard Barden April 2, 2019 at 1:08 PM Thank you so very much, Caren, perhaps I will turn it into something in the future ... I've been wanting to write a novel for a long time. Blessings! :-) <3