The meanings of freedom

Two talented poets who have learning disabilities, Phillip Rackham and Sharon Russell, reflect on freedom – in both day-to-day life and during the pandemic – and what it means to be without it. Illustrations by Robin Meader.




Freedom

Freedom is going to wrestling with my friends

Freedom is having a bath on my own

Freedom is going out on my own

Freedom is doing cooking for myself

Freedom is to go to Sainsbury’s by myself

Freedom is to choose what I want to wear

Freedom is to decide what I want to eat

Freedom is to decide by myself when I want to go to bed

Freedom is to play my music when I want to

Freedom is to have a girlfriend

Freedom is to use the telephone when I want to

Freedom is to get my money from the post office

Freedom is to get a present by myself

And freedom is to get a newspaper by myself

My name is Phillip Rackham. I live in north London and I love my independence. I love being creative and attend creative writing classes at Community Focus arts centre every week. This is my opportunity to express myself and socialise. I am also big fan of Formula 1 but my big love is Arsenal – I am a lifelong fan.



Lockdown

We all have to stay in because we don’t want to break that milk jug and we all don’t want to get that bug

We all want to go and see what there is but we all have to stay in and do our share, but we all want to go out, we all have to wear a mask because we don’t want to get germs

We all want to go out and have a coffee, but we all have to sit in and eat toffee

We all want to go out and buy toys in a shop or even a pub lunch, we all want to go out but it’s plain to see that you are stuck in with me

We all want to go out and do something better, but I do think that we have to wait until the weather is better

We all want to go out for a day but you are all worried that we might go astray, we all have to expect that there is nowhere to go, not even in the snow

We all have to stay calm and try to wait even if we all think it has come a bit late

We all have to stay clear of other people otherwise we all have to spend all day sitting in the steeple

We all want to go out and do things in time, but all haven’t got a dime

We all want to go out, but the pubs are closed, and we all want to go out and have a jolly but we all have to stay in you big wally

We all have to stay in and do as we’re told so by the time we can get out we will be 100 years old, so we all have to stay in and have a good cry but we all have to say why, why, why

We all have to stay in touch but its not much fun so why can’t we all go out and catch some sun

At the end of the day we have all had enough, but I am sorry to tell you all it’s tough!!

Sharon Russell just lives to write poems and wants to share them. Writing poetry has got her through lockdown. She lives in Cheshire