You Are Free Poem by Gert Strydom

Not by shooting bullets out of guns,
or exploding bombs and missiles
or tanks and armoured cars that conquering
beacon of land, or aircraft that make
the air their own will people ever really be free.

Not by the exclusion of others,
the reserving of work,
expropriation of land,
possessions and money
or merciless violence
will peace ever come.

Not by hate, despair, robbery,
murder, injustice measured out as just,
might, corruption,
force, impoverishment and indoctrination
are the population bound in a nation.

Not by killing in war,
religion that tries to get righteousness
with violence
and bestiality in man
is paradise filled.

l’Envoi
Only by love and respect
where you ask forgiveness
for your own weaknesses
and do not keep holding others accountable
for the mistakes that they make
you are free from self
and before the world.