When I fear to say
to myself
what I fear to say
to others,
I insist on expressing
in the privacy
of my own mind
what I feel and think;
and I remind myself
that self-awareness
of my emotions and thoughts
enables me
to evaluate my level of happiness
and strive to improve
my level of happiness.

A mother is dragging her toddler
through a supermarket aisle
on a shopping trip
and toddler says “Mom, I’m tired”
and mother says
“Be quiet, you’re being abnormal!”

A worker says to his boss
“I’ve discovered a bright idea
for how to improve our workplace”
and the boss says “I’m the boss,
be quiet, you’re being abnormal!”

A politician says
to protesters against his policies
“Stop protesting, be quiet, you’re being abnormal!”

A hurting patient says to his doctor
“Doctor, I don’t like the treatment
you have chosen for me.”
And the doctor says
“This is the normal treatment for your condition,
be quiet, you are being abnormal!”

When authority makes the norms,
should we allow
freedom of abnormal speech?
To achieve
for subjects of authority
a society which listens,
a society which cares for needs,
a society which is kind,
a society which is progressive,
a society which is happier?

Meaningful connection.

5 seconds for thought.

Don't rush.

5 seconds for thought.

Contemplate.

5 seconds for thought.

Speak. Express. Connect from the soul.

5 seconds for thought.

We are more than words.

and our hallowed free speech
would be unduly harnessed
in
no more to be heard
was the point of its
fin

regulation and an ever
present stricture's
tie
saw this mouth's opinion
in death's posture of
goodbye

gone from the world
those voices who expressed their
cause
they'd remain on an extended
period of
pause

the liberty to speak
that we all once
knew
sorely vanished out
of each individual's
view

The strength of people's voice, loud and clear
Can any elected representatives speak
As loudly, as clearly as the people?

True courage and democratic freedom
When people gather and march unconfined
Not cowering in their corner
Only to hear their pitiful squeaks

If it must rain, let it not drizzle disappointingly
Let the trumpet sound from the hills
Not under your bed, but let the light of freedom
Blaze fiercely

bananana and cinnamonon
betray a lack of discipline
while gingerer on melonon
shows tasteful imagination

A Neanderthal pointed to a stone, and said, "Oomph."
The others stared at him.

After a time,
another pointed at the same stone, and said "Oomph."
Then another, and another, and soon the entire cave,
was resonating with Oomphs!

"Oomph Oomph Oomph! Oomph!
Oomph Oomph Oomph! Oomph!
Oomph Oomph Oomph! Oomph!"

A young smart aleck Neanderthal,
then stood up, and pointed outside the cave,
to a big rock, and said, "Oomph."

An instant silence: a silence so still
you can hear a bat **** dropped.

After a time,
with a thunderous roar the inventor Neanderthal
rushed the young Neanderthal
out of the cave, and bashed his head against the rock
killing him in one blow.

The entire cave erupted:

"Oomph Oomph Oomph! Oomph!
Oomph Oomph Oomph! Oomph!
Oomph Oomph Oomph! Oomph!"

And that's the etymology
of their war cry;
And it was also how
their religion was born.

"Oomph Oomph Oomph! Oomph!
Oomph Oomph Oomph! Oomph!
Oomph Oomph Oomph! Oomph!"

Sit right down in your seat, please
        Raise your hand to speak, please
        Get a pass to leave, please
I need all attention on me, please
                Revolution is over, please,
        Obedience is key, please
                There’s nothing wrong anymore, see
                Look at these 3rd world countries, see
                Be proud of where you were born, see
                We are perfectly free, see
Be silent and listen to me, free
                Migration will be to be stopped, free
                The leader can pardon himself, free
                Women in positions of power, free
                Hate is perfectly legal, free
        You can protest as well, free
        You have the power of speech, free
Don’t talk over the teacher, please
Don’t talk over the teacher, please
         I know better than you, see
        We control your life, see
        We are building the future, see
        We are the best in the world, see
Be silent and listen to me, please

As long as you’re rich and white,  
free.

Opinions silenced.
Words stigmatized and outlawed.
Know your thoughts are 'free’!