Freedom (by Pamela Sidney)

Poem 6 of 7 in "Salvaged from Coreys" Volume 2 Issue 3

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FREEDOM

St. Andrews market
and the St. Andrew's pub
are on opposite sides of the street
(opposite sides of the world)
On one side are vegetables
incense, tie-dye scarves
healing crystals and hippies
On the other side is alcohol
alcohol, more alcohol
and drinking

Bikies hang out there
they wear black leather
ride black and chrome motor-cycles
and perched on pillion
their black-clad girlfriends

A bikie roars up with shaven head
Zapata moustached and fists of silver
Behind him on pillion
his Madonna-blonde girl-friend
young, tight-jeaned, and black T shirted
she has 'Triumph' written across her breasts
(that is a motor cycle,
not a philosophical statement)
Though it could be, for she wanted to be
where the long-haired people were
at the market in the hall opposite
where much noise was emanating
loud rocking music, children squealing
dogs barking, people laughing
Happiness encapsuled
in that vibrating place
Yes, they were having 'fun'
and didn't mind showing it

Two bands had arrived
and Tom the Street poet was there
in more colours than ever before
he was on stage shouting 'FREEDOM'
and the whole thing was taking off
really building into something big
dogs were howling, kids were jumping
and everyone was singing and dancing

The blonde girl yelled 'yay hippies'
as she sat on the sidelines
(but not for long)
one 'FREEDOM' too many by Tom
drew her centre floor
where she danced like a gypsy
waving her arms, whirling like a Sufi
her body alive with passion and music

But every now and then she looked wistfully out
through the doors to the pub across the road
to see if her butch boyfriend
might catch a glimpse
or even come in to be with her
but no, he was too busy drinking with his mates
so she kept on dancing and singing and laughing

Later, on the other side of the street
finishing her beer
donning her riding gear
she took off with her boyfriend
in a motor cycle haze
but maybe a little seed was planted
perhaps she's thinking now
that it's O.K. to be what you want to be
to show what you want to show
to be unself-consciously your own unique self
perhaps she's thinking now about colours
gentleness, laughter and music
since she had her small taste
of 'FREEDOM' with the hippies.

---(Pamela Sidney)--- copyright 1996

(Re-printed from Pamela's chapbook "True Raves", an Isis-Maat publication, 1993)
(St. Andrews is a suburb of Melbourne, an hour or so's drive to the north-east).

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