#freespeech
He stood up there, on the stage.
Mic in his hand, he looked at us.
"I usually write the jokes for myself—
but today, I won't.
I heard about this funny book,
with some extravagant fictitious stories,
and I will read to you some."
Nobody said anything.
All of us thought:
"What a bad comedian,
he won't even write his jokes"
Then, he started reading.
"Chapter I:
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience
and should act towards one another
in a spirit of brotherhood."
He paused.
"Not even one page through,
and it is already hilarious, right?"
Some nervous laughs
made their way through.
But nobody was actually amused.
"Well, the chapters are short.
I don't quite like the second one,
so here goes the third one:
Everyone has the right to life,
liberty and the security of person."
Some people did start laughing—
but their neighbours' looks,
penetrating stares that seemed to say
"Stop. Now.",
made them stop.
"This next one is so funny—
such a good satire.
Chapter IV:
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude;
slavery and the slave trade
shall be prohibited in all their forms."
At this point, I remember
that I walked away
and almost had exited
when I heard him saying:
"Well, today's performance so far
has been so unsuccessful that
I might as well stop here.
I'll see you at my next performance
in my world tour.
Thanks for coming"
Apr 21
Apr 21, 2026 at 10:01 AM UTC
Within argument is division
To be calm as the remainder
Is to assert one's rights
The action which asserts
Promotes peace for all
Lifting our language
In a higher calling of liberty
And silencing lady Justice's cries
The contest is in one's mind
Not against the correction by
The self
Feb 15
Feb 15, 2026 at 8:09 PM UTC
the oppressor's law
muzzles a dissenting voice
lest it speak of truth
May 7, 2024
May 7, 2024 at 11:29 PM UTC
If you prophecy the end of kings you are wrong.
Write no epitaphs, dig no graves, taste no grief.
The new czar, a rough and worldly killer firmly fixed
this very day stirs the cauldron of war to reset empire
Still, foxly friends of tyranny, who stab at weak democracy
praise the czar's autocracy, and mock free speech with treachery.
As modern judases, riding limitless swells of fortune, tease simple mobs
our old republic stagers and fades, mortally wounded by hypocrisy.
Perhaps, someday, freedom’s autopsy will show what transpired,
but if you prophecy the end of kings you are wrong.
Feb 22, 2022
Feb 22, 2022 at 7:14 AM UTC
New Year , New Me ? Right ?
But it’s not a new me just a new year
I’m still me.
Plain old me .
Sarcastic check .
******* check .
Indecisive check ,check
Lonely check ,check ,check ,check
Codependent but pretending not to be .
Check .
I’m still using my favorite line
It’s the same old conversation
How are you doing
And it’s the same old answer
“okay “
“Never been better “
“ Can’t complain “
“Taking it one day at a time “
If their was an award for how much lies you can say in a 5 minute conversation I’ve won it .
And yes I said five minutes
Did I forgot to tick the “loose interest fast” box .
I’ve constantly been hiding behind these phrases because let’s be real ,
Even if they cared to ask if your okay
It’s not like they have the answers to your problem or a solution to your dilemma .
But hey it’s the thought that counts .
But I’m still left to deal with my **** on my own .
The truth is..
I’m not okay but you know that already.
It’s a common reply people use to distract themselves and their conversation partner from what really is going on .
I’m a mess .
I’m unsure of my future .
I have a should or should I not thing going on with my ex, “It’s complicated” but also not so complicated .
We’ve all been there
Delete the number? ,
Forget he ever existed?
Fun . Logical.
If only you could delete the memories and somehow get amnesia but only for the time you were together.
Not so easy is it .
But you try to move forward because what else are you gonna do ? I’m obviously still working on the “moving forward “ part .
Speaking of “moving”
Let’s move right along on this emotional train wreck.
I’m stagnant.
I’m afraid .
Afraid to take that step , I want it to be not of uncertainty but faith .
I want it to mean something .
To be a new beginning for me.
I don’t want to regret it .
Whatever happens at-least I took that chance to not think and just do .
I’m confused
Who am I?
What am I capable of?
What do I love ?
Who do I love ?
How do I love ?
Am I loved ?
Can’t complain??? Yeah Right .
I complain every single day about
Me,
Him ,
Her ,
Them ,
Hungry for acceptance.
Bleeding desperation .
Starved for self reflection.
Terrified by fear of rejection.
All of this masked by a simple “okay”
“Can’t complain “
“Never been better “
“One day at time “
Oops and don’t forget to finish with a smile.
Jan 4, 2020
Jan 4, 2020 at 2:43 PM UTC
You like to **** in the wind,
But get upset when your clothes get wet.
You're not going to like what I have to say,
But I am just going to say it anyway.
A barking dog in high heels,
Stops my voice from raising above my breath.
Changing channels to change our minds,
You should just go ahead and off yourself.
You tell me what to say,
You tell me what I should listen to,
You tell me what I should play,
I can do what ever I want to do.
**** you invertebrate!
You can't stand by yourself!
Jul 16, 2019
Jul 16, 2019 at 6:54 PM UTC
Is it discriminatory to hate
the fungus that can spread in the bodies of ants.
Creeping
through the nerves
infecting
until it scrapes through the cerebral nerve
driving them mad
climbing the heights of rainforest giants
which they can’t get back down from.
When it takes their mind,
Are they now the same?
Is it discrimination,
If I **** the select black pages of a book that tumble along the desert winds, their words cursing those
under the God.
For those in letterboxes, I have a message: do you want to be defined by your value as a possession?
Is it discrimination,
To wish us rid of those who will condemn our humour and joy,
for it is a sign of humanity.
On online forums that do not have to except a human flood and a culture crushed to single metal pieces,
Will not except a yellow glutton carnivore
as president,
Will not except the red and blue beams from the sun being darkened by a night-black swarm of red and yellow striped wasps,
the vibrant joy of star fruit now as constructing as imperial gold.
Speak,
Rid your bike,
Shine your light
For Tiananmen is abroad.
Location decided not by a treaty,
But by those who cling to a rising sun,
Not shineless stars.
Aug 10, 2018
Aug 10, 2018 at 9:12 AM UTC
Shots fired.
Expression of emotion is vital, cathartic.
My words despairingly ugly. Sensorship even uglier.
I will not find peace or sanity until i ***** my offense.
Do not negate my reality
with your unempathic offence
A survivor on defense.
The best defence is attack.
I apologise to no one
for the constant exorcism and reinfection of my demons.
You dont have to live with them.
If you take my words
and stuff them back down my throat
with your own pretty pious version of hate
dont think you won't then be a target of offence.
Don't speak for me
Dont correct me
Do not vett me
Do not circumvent or block me
my spite will pour from its source
Deep pain and loss
Regardless of my senses
Of my deliberate take on inhumanity
If you want to be humane step aside
And don't let the filth catch you on its way out!
I will shout down my demons with fire and light
Stand back!
It is done,
When tis done.
Oct 13, 2017
Oct 13, 2017 at 8:35 AM UTC
.
Tapioca sky,
feel the knife curve
like a Moon-hook,
wrenching a tourmaline ****
into hallucinating gums,
ritualised in immortal agony.
Lemon clouds,
see the portrait smile
like a nightmare,
feasting on famine entrails,
of sacrificed words,
scything off the tongue.
© Pagan Paul (2017)
Sep 15, 2017
Sep 15, 2017 at 6:00 PM UTC
remain wept and kept,
go deaf
with
my little chime.
pass me your shoulder,
i’ll cry it out.
move boulders
and boil the tides.
grey gardens
and gallows.
wounded words
for the narrow;
hanging on lines.
move two steps
closer
and hear
this little chime of mine.
Sep 20, 2015
Sep 20, 2015 at 10:54 AM UTC
The wisest of men adhere to but one policy:
That a word once spoken, is a word that shall long be echoed.
And that,silence, if made one's only legacy,
Would imbibe in them, more than just the ineffable ethos.
-The Silent Poet
Dec 5, 2015
Dec 5, 2015 at 12:43 AM UTC
everyone's talking
about freedom of speech
as if it should come at no cost
like something you teach
it's never been that way
and it never will be
we need to be reminded
of what it means to be free.
Feb 15, 2015
Feb 15, 2015 at 8:40 PM UTC
A little promiscuous thought.
Bubbling to the surface of your mind
like molten rock from earths core,
It rises
rises
rises
rises
until it reaches the brim
Then without any warning
It erupts, and destroys everything.
The ashy residue comes raining down
cloaking the once green valley with blackness
the melted rock moving like molasses down the hill
turning everything that once was
into nothingness.
After the disaster seems over,
Things will regrow from the madness
Just waiting for the next eruption.
Just need some way
to control my volcano.
Apr 16, 2014
Apr 16, 2014 at 6:30 PM UTC