e.e. cummings and Stephen Sondheim

[as freedom is a breakfastfood]
By E. E. Cummings 1894–1962

as freedom is a breakfastfood

or truth can live with right and wrong

or molehills are from mountains made

—long enough and just so long

will being pay the rent of seem

and genius please the talentgang

and water most encourage flame

as hatracks into peachtrees grow

or hopes dance best on bald men’s hair

and every finger is a toe

and any courage is a fear

—long enough and just so long

will the impure think all things pure

and hornets wail by children stung

or as the seeing are the blind

and robins never welcome spring

nor flatfolk prove their world is round

nor dingsters die at break of dong

and common’s rare and millstones float

—long enough and just so long

tomorrow will not be too late

worms are the words but joy’s the voice

down shall go which and up come who

breasts will be breasts thighs will be thighs

deeds cannot dream what dreams can do

—time is a tree(this life one leaf)

but love is the sky and i am for you

just so long and long enough

GREEN FINCH AND LINNET BIRD
By Stephen Sondgeim

Green finch and linnet bird,
Nightingale, blackbird,
How is it you sing?
How can you jubilate,
Sitting in cages,
Never taking wing?

Outside the sky waits,
Beckoning, beckoning,
Just beyond the bars,
How can you remain,
Staring at the rain,
Maddened by the stars?
How is it you sing
Anything?
How is it you sing?

Green finch and linnet bird,
Nightingale, blackbird,
How is it you sing?
Whence comes this melody
constantly flowing?
Is it rejoicing or merely halloing?
Are you discussing
Or fussing
Or simply dreaming?
Are you crowing?
Are you screaming?

Ringdove and robinet,
Is it for wages,
Singing to be sold?
Have you decided it’s
Safer in cages,
Singing when you’re told?

My cage has many rooms,
Damask and dark.
Nothing there sings,
Not even my lark.
Larks never will, you know,
When they’re captive.
Teach me to be more adaptive.

Green finch and linnet bird,
Nightingale, blackbird,
Teach me how to sing.
If I cannot fly,
Let me sing.

To me, both poems speak of freedom although I am not sure of the cummings poem. The Sondheim poem seems to address the artist. Of course when addressing a work, it is in the eye of the reader. I chose these two poems because freedom has been much on my mind.

Freedom is a complex issue. Veterans have bumper stickers that state that "freedom isn't free, veterans pay for it." I believe that is true. On an individual basis, if you want to be free you have to pay for it too and no price is too dear. The foe of freedom is fear. If fear overwhelmed the desire to be free, then you will be forever in the cage even if the gate is unlocked.

Sondheim speaks of relative freedom. If he can't have total freedom or freedom to fly, then he insists on relative freedom, he must have freedom to sing from his cage. I know I want total freedom and someday I might not be able to have it. I can have it now. No price is too great for it. I remember listening to a man who lived in Russia under Soviet rule. He was making a good living as a scientist but he came to the USA where he earned less money. A journalist asked if he thought that was a good trade. He said without freedom, money wasn't worth it.

Fear is a strong emotion and it keeps people in chains long after the chains have been unlocked. It keeps people with their abusers and many people who escaped prisons and concentration camps all report being held in unlocked cells of fear. It takes a lot of treatment and love from family and friends for them to walk outside those cells.

As I wrote, freedom is a complex issue or at least for me. I have one foot outside my cell door and am trying to leave my prison and conquering the fear is the biggest barrier. We all have to be knights of the round table in seeking the Holy Grail. The Grail is what sets each of us free and it is different for each of us.