Freedom by Denni Turp

When you take away my home

you take away my security.

When you take away my water

you take away my health.

When you take away my food

you take away my strength.

When you take away my language

you take away my history

When you take away my land

you take away my identity.

When you take away my family

you take away my humanity.

But when you deny me the truth

you take away my freedom of choice

and my actions become as snow falling

as water falling

as fire falling

and making the world all white

all wet

all consumed

and without consequences.

*          *          *          *          *

C’est ne pas vrai

que la neige est blanche, le soleil jaune

et le ciel est grand et bleu.

Mae pethau’n dwad o flaen dy lygaid

fel y gorffennol a heb dy ganiatâd.[1]

The language dictates the words.

The words dictate the meaning.

The meaning is not yours.

*          *          *          *          *

The world is full of

the kindness of strangers

the generosity of the poor

and the colours of music

but we need the tongues to taste them

not the power to waste them.

[1] Things pass before your eyes/like the past and without your permission.