freedom is just a word

freedom placed on hold,
hold your tongue,
hold your anger,
know your place--boy.
jump through these hoops,
dog and pony show,
aiming for the least common denominator,
same thing as ever before.
we are free men--
to a point,
we are free men--
up until. . .
caught up in the machine,
once again,
stuck in its teeth,
trying to stay sane.
don't bother thinking,
all the possible outcomes,
all the things that should've been,
all the things you should've done.
brace yourself and wait it out,
punished and bludgeoned,
then sent on your way,
nothing to do but wait.
test the fates,
play the game,
this is what you get,
same as it ever was.
they can take it all away,
moment's notice,
a hiccup in time,
rely on nothing.
all you have is whats inside,
all else can be dragged/carried/destroyed,
cannot be anything but what you are,
stand firm and weather the storm.
rules and regulations,
to fit every situation,
loopholes in every direction,
this is what you want/this is what you get.
freedom is just a word,
a meaningless concept,
an empty shell,
until it is taken away.