Daisy Hagen
11th Grade
Newaygo High School
Capital “L”
When the founders thought, “Liberty!”
What came to mind?
Was it freedom for some
Or for all humankind?
They created a system
That was masterfully designed
But all was not perfect
When the documents were signed
The Three-Fifths Compromise
Was one such imperfection
An agreement, a deal
Made with questionable intention
For we still had slaves
And there was little objection,
And it would be some time,
Before we made a correction
But eventually times changed
And slaves were no more
A bloody battle was fought
Abe put an end to the war
An American victory for Liberty
That we could no longer ignore
Soon former slaves
Would be living next door!
After the Seneca Falls Convention
For the next seventy-two years
Women fought for their suffrage
With blood, sweat, and tears
Eventually, in nineteen-twenty
Women could vote with their peers
Another victory for liberty
But not the final frontier
And in Saudi Arabia
They’ll chop off your head
For simply going against
What the government said
In the public square
They’ll leave you for dead
Just to scare others
And fill them with dread
As for their women
They must cover their skin,
And if they show more,
It’s considered a sin
Religious belief is ok
But not when built-in
And forced onto the people
By an official kingpin
Historically in China
It used to be
That having two children
Would cost you a fee
Exemptions existed
And for some, it was free,
Yet what does that say
About their Liberty?
But now times are changing
And China is too
Technology is advancing
Life is better, it’s true
The fight for Liberty is ongoing
Though it depends on the view
Ask Mom, ask Google,
Or even Yahoo
Like running a marathon,
Or making this rhyme
Like continents dividing
Liberty takes time
It wasn’t until twenty-sixteen
That we allowed the same positions
For our military women
To fight in military missions
More Liberty, today!
More freedom, more additions
Let men and women who are able
Form a coalition!
And let’s not forget
Our brothers and sisters who are gay
Though excluded before
They can get married today
For we are Americans
And in America we say
That freedom and Liberty
Is the American way
Though we’re not perfect,
We should be more grateful than most
And it’s important to self-criticize
Before we shout and we boast
But we have freedom of speech
For a verbal riposte
Unlike many other nations
Beyond our own coast
Like in North Korea
Where Kim is their god
Woe to the man
Who calls him a fraud
You’ll be put into jail
Or killed with a nod
Totalitarian regimes
Are certainly flawed
The founders of our nation
Forged a paradigm
For flexible governance
Where Liberty is prime
And depending on the subject
Liberty is arbitrary
Taxation, immigration?
The definitions may vary
Many have said
That more change is necessary
Although others may add
That change can be scary
In closing, in ending
Concepts of Liberty will transform
With each new generation
New ideas will be born
So long as freedom of choice
Is kept at the core
Liberty will flourish
Forevermore
