Free To Roam The Wild
A Heartfelt Poem About Fences, Borders, Nations, Freedom, and War
While I was walking around in Scotland, I noticed how many fences there were across its many fields and hillocks. As maybe not everyone knows, private ownership of land in its current form is only a couple of centuries old. Before that lords, counts, and so forth held large portions of land which peasants rented or used in exchange for a portion of their proceeds. Before that, long long ago in what seems like a galaxy far far away, lands were owned by the community. People shared responsibility for the lands and shared in what it gave them. The fact that I was free to roam and camp in the Highlands is a public right that, in Europe at least, is only seen in twelve or so countries. I am certainly not used to it, having lived in the densely populated Netherlands where each square metre is allocated to, used, or owned by someone. Anyway, it made me ponder the nature of privately owned lands, countries, and borders, and how they can feel so restrictive to our curiosity, our drive to explore and to wander.
For those language enthusiasts among you, I have experimented with combining several rhyme schemes for different stanzas, and in some cases used a meter for a stronger rhythm. In the several parts, I used assonance to make the message more impactful, which I like when I’m expressing something more ‘raw’.
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Fences, fences across each field and hill fencing the places where they grind and mill Fences, fences across every border fencing the places where they shoot to kill Fences, fences across each land and sea fencing the places where they want to drill Protecting and guarding really nothing at all to keep the world apart divided by a wall Brown-orange butterfly How do you go so fluttering and free all the way to wherever you want to be? Pied wagtail Where do you go so wagging and wee? Your twitchy tail holds so many secrets from me. Magnificent roe Why do you go so nearby to me? Is there no danger from whence you should flee? All of you please go far, far, as far as you can get otherwise, sooner or later, you'll all end up dead Human, civilised human Don't even think of going anywhere Do you even care that you can go here but not there? Your struggle is over We've drawn a line in the sand Forbidden, trespassing, prosecuted those words are on my side If you dare cross my lands you need to show me your hands spread your legs long and wide stand up against my wall and fall. Why, tell me, why can't I just roam free and go wherever I want to be? Is there no escape? Nowhere to run from your intimidation Nowhere to turn to with my indignation choking on the bitter pill of civilisation Let me go where I want Live of my own accord Let me breathe in clean air and have all lands restored Let me trust in my heart only do what is right Let me hope for a day when our future is bright Freedom, don’t make me laugh your life’s only a loan Accept that there’s nothing we don’t already own
What you say is so true. It's the same in France where I cherish wilderness which is more and more difficult to find. The French are masters of fencing.