The Unfreedom Of Liberty Poem by Mohammad Yousef

By Mohammad Yousef

In the bright parade of freedom's call,
We stand with banners high,
Yelling into the night,
But how often do we stumble over chains
Hidden in plain sight?

A voice sings sweetly,
"Be who you are,
Say what you think! "
Yet, whispered doubts cast shadows,
Masking the light within,
Turning truth into a soft echo
Afraid to break free.

Cash flow, trends, and likes,
They bind us tight,
Shackled to screens casting bright beams,
Creating connections that feel real,
But are they true?

We walk through the halls,
Wearing smiles that hide sorrow,
Trading our dreams for the comforts of today,
Lost in the search for approval,
Chasing a version of ourselves,
Someone else's image in a frame.

Youth is filled with expectations,
A tightrope strung high over the crowd,
"Achieve, succeed, don't fall! "
But what if the tumble is just a step,
A leap towards something raw and real?
Freedom dances on the wind,
But we hesitate, tied to opinions
That are not our own.

Whispers of rebellion echo softly,
In hearts muted by fear;
What if we let our voices blend,
Like colors in an artful brew,
Confident in the strokes we make?

Yet still, we hesitate,
The chain of doubt wrapped fierce.
For liberty wears a mask,
Flickering like a flame,
Both warm and burning,
A light we must learn to embrace.

So here we stand,
Yearning for the wide-open sky,
While our feet are still in the ground,
Can we break from the mold,
Wield our worth like swords,
Shatter the glass that keeps us in?

We have the power
To define our own journey,
To see beyond the walls built by others,
To escape the suffocating grip of plans
That don't hold our heart.

True freedom waits in the shadows,
Where dreams and courage merge,
But we must choose—
Will we stay on this path,
Or carve our own,
In a world filled with possibilities?

Is it time to unleash
The pulse of our own hearts,
Shake free from the notion
That liberty is simply a word?
Or will we remain caught,
In the unfreedom of our supposed freedom?