Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE SLAVE, by JAMES OPPENHEIM


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE SLAVE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: They set the slave free, striking off his chains
Last Line: Free men set themselves free.
Subject(s): Freedom; Religion; Slavery; Liberty; Theology; Serfs


They set the slave free, striking off his chains ...
Then he was as much a slave as ever.

He was still chained to servility.
He was still manacled to indolence and sloth,
He was still bound by fear and superstition,
By ignorance, suspicion, and savagery ...
His slavery was not in chains,
But in himself ...

They can only set men free ...
And there is no need of that:
Free men set themselves free.




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