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    Freedom's Beat
    Freedom's Beat
    Freedom's Beat
    Ebook65 pages24 minutes

    Freedom's Beat

    By John Bryden

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    About this ebook

    This collection celebrates freedom in words that will make your heart sing. It's no strident battle cry calling for easy liberation, but a soulful collection of deeply-felt reflections on a universal theme. True freedom's core is a strong spirit. Read this book and it will stoke your fires as you face life head on.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherJohn Bryden
    Release dateMar 24, 2014
    ISBN9780473281472
    Freedom's Beat
    Author

    John Bryden

    John Bryden is a politician, journalist, and historian. He was first elected to the House of Commons in 1993, where he served for more than a decade before retiring in 2004. His publications include Best Kept Secret: Canadian Secret Intelligence in the Second World War and Deadly Allies: Canada's Secret War 1937-1947. He lives in Hamilton, Ontario.

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      Book preview

      Freedom's Beat - John Bryden

      Freedom’s Beat

      By John Bryden

      Copyright 2014 John Bryden

      Published by Reality Explored

      20 Trig Road, Whenuapai, Auckland 0618, New Zealand

      Cover design by John Crue

      Smashwords Edition

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

      ISBN 978-0-473-28147-2

      List of sections

      Title page

      List of sections

      Flags of freedom

      Wings of freedom

      Colours of freedom

      Postscript: the poetic itch

      About this book§

      List of poems

      Flags of freedom

      Snared

      Our liberation from the fetters

      once forced on us by overlords

      aroused our hearts to strive towards

      a goal announced in golden letters.

      The power of our former betters*§

      we sundered with our righteous swords:

      the history of the world records

      no nobler fight against oppressors.

      But now we find ourselves the debtors

      to new aggressors, those great hordes

      of spiders spinning silken cords

      designed to snare us, foolish bettors§

      beguiled by dreams that vanish soon.

      True liberty would be a boon.

      * The people who were formerly ‘better’ than us.

      § People who bet, i.e., gamble.

      Small world

      Witness the king’s royal court

      where powerful struggles are fought:

      at the end of the day

      it’s all just a play

      when that court is the puppet-show sort.

      Observe how the courtiers parade

      in cloaks made of silk and brocade —

      how they get in a spat

      on the height of a hat

      or the width of a strip of gold braid.

      Now enter some troops with a captive,

      accused as a thief to be active.

      He gets a fair trial

      and in a short while —

      an axe makes the sentence effective.

      More happenings follow apace

      that typify joy and disgrace —

      so the string-pulling charmer

      produces a drama,

      which, when done, he takes home in

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