Freedom
Suppose I wasn’t here today
Behind a desk at school,
and say
Instead of maths and grammar stuff,
Of which we do more than enough,
I left this place and caught a train,
Flew in hot air balloon or plane
Across the sea to Timbuktu
To meet the Tuareg with whom
I’d wear deep blue alasho and
We’d ride out on Saharan sand
On camels out towards the east,
To live in tents and later feast
On goats’ milk tea and baked taghella,
With cheese and dates bought from a seller
Of gorgeous African cuisine,
Then watch the sun set on a scene
Of such delight and beauty rare,
It stands alone without compare
And beats hard sums and parsing flat
So much, in fact, I dare say that
If I were asked to swap my place
Behind a desk at school and face
An option far from tests and strife,
I’d choose the free nomadic life…
Poetry Roundabout 