Freedom, the word used to be so powerful
It used to cross the bashing oceans in shackles 
with its hand tied behind its back
When it was fed up
It used to hang in hairy great oaks with Spanish moss beards
Until green leaves got sick, faces turned red and 
Said amongst themselves
It time for change 
To put an end to fall
It used to walk the streets of Alabama 
with books protruding from nervous armpits
In Mississippi it out ran German shepherds and smokin’ grenades
Until it got arrested in Georgia
But freedom laughed happily behind bars
Freedom didn’t even ask for bail
No, it asked for water instead, but still got none
Nevertheless freedom was never thirsty 
It took empty cups and made them half full of faith
Freedom tapped its tin cup against iron bars
Making a racket all night long until someone stopped,   
listened and heard, Freedom Ring!