language and thought are wedded

language and thought are wedded(wed)

freedom withers(ˈwiT͟Hərz) into greed(ɡrēd)

By Henry H. Walker

Milton(miltn) had Satan(ˈsātn) realize the transformative(tran(t)sˈfôrmədiv) power of the mind:
Heaven can become Hell, Hell become Heaven,
depending on the mind’s take on it all,
I think of Milton as I consider
how the word and concept of “freedom” is used today:
the founders of our country wanted freedom
of religion(rəˈlijən), from religion,
of escape from tyranny(ˈtirənē)
where one’s life is subject
to the whim((h)wim) of monarch(ˈmänərk), of government,
of escape from the past becoming destiny(ˈdestinē):
life of son to reprise(rəˈprēz) life of father,
life of daughter at the whim of husband,
they sought freedom of thought,
of speech, of individuality(ˌindəˌvijo͞oˈalədē),
now many minds seem to confuse freedom with license,
freedom equals greed, self-indulgence(inˈdəljəns),
a fundamental reshuffling(rēˈSHəfəl) of the idea,
the lesser(ˈlesər) within people wants to not be shackled(ˈSHak(ə)l)
to community, to the other, to growing up:
I don’t want to wear a mask,
and I don’t care what that might do to another,
I don’t want to pay any taxes,
and I just want to spend on myself,
I don’t want to feel how my words can disturb(dəˈstərb) another
so I argue for the freedom to be rude
and disparage(dəˈsperij) politeness(pəˈlītnəs) and inclusivity(ˌinklo͞oˈsivədē) as “political correctness,”
such self-centeredness allows us
to let the forests(ˈfôrəst) be cut down, to burn,
to let fossil(ˈfäsəl) fuels(ˈfyo͞o(ə)l) be consumed with abandon:
my car, my boat, my plane,
my unfettered(ˌənˈfedər) tread(tred) upon the Earth,
more important than my grandchildren’s future:
supersize my gluttony(ˈɡlətnē) rather than diet,
live for the summer and not prepare for the winter:
we can be the grasshopper(ˈɡrasˌhäpər) and not the ant,

language and thought are wedded,
and I don’t like the cheating(CHēt)
that withers freedom into greed.

https://henryspoetry.blogspot.com