Dilemma
You can teach him to obey the law
and follow every sign;
You can teach him not to think
but think the thoughts that you opine.
You can even drug his senses into catatonic sleep —
But when he dreams, he dreams of freedom.
You can train him like a monkey
and put him through his paces;
Tax and sweat and drive him
and make him run rat races.
You can work him dawn to dusk
’til he collapses with exhaustion —
But when he dreams, he dreams of freedom.
You can cage him like a beast
and he’ll forget about ambition;
You can force obedience, at least,
or trick his willful submission.
You can carve his body slowly
’til he begs for bliss unconscious —
But when he dreams, he dreams of freedom.
You can kill a man again, and again, and again,
but he will always come back —
And when he dreams, he dreams of freedom.
And when he dreams, he dreams of freedom.
© Jack Thompson