over a barrel in poetry

the hoary pervasive myth
that freedom must be won
down the barrel of a gun
is one of the worst toxic lies
underpinning our entire society
on the right and the left both
way too many groups buy it
ignore the cycle of violence
they’re wrong, they’re wrong
it’s a long-term sour song
so go see Gandhi, friends
and so go see Doctor King
freedom through murder it
becomes a perpetual thing
freedom won through violence
becomes some newer oppression
violence doesn’t care for freedom
it knows only its own obsessions
it’s just as bad as mistaking
freedom for your possessions