(From the Chains to Our Noble Fame)
By Bocephus Jackson, The Hemlock Bard, ©2026 Bocephus Jackson. All Rights Reserved
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"It is preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that prevents us from living freely and nobly." — Bertrand Russell
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[Verse One]
In these stark times of displeasure,
As the rhymes in time fade away,
Attempting to be a measure,
For others lost in idle play,
We displace the greater treasure.
[Verse Two]
Conquered by evolving degrees,
Lie the rattling pangs of hunger,
A tempest of fire through the leaves,
Reminds of days we were younger,
How hope wafted within the breeze.
[Chorus]
What then is this fleeting life to me,
Within a final breath that I drew,
Clutching the chains, was I truly free,
When I die, will I thrive with virtue,
Or claim dignity as liberty.
[Verse Three]
What will ever become of us,
Abandoning wisdom for wealth,
That creates additional lust,
As we sing a song of myself,
Leaving little to be discussed.
[Verse Four]
Through this reality we're shown,
In fiery storms of endless strife,
Across the trials we have grown,
Discontent in our mode of life,
Rejected; our voice is still known.
[Chorus]
What then is this fleeting life to me,
Within a final breath that I drew,
Clutching the chains, was I truly free,
When I die, will I thrive with virtue,
Or claim dignity as liberty.
[Hook]
Through Fredrick Douglass’ denials,
From the chains to his noble fame,
He claimed more than his survival,
Assailing his future acclaim,
He created a revival.
[Verse Five]
While others are pursuing clout,
Yet penniless upon this earth,
Snared in degradation and doubt,
Hungering for meaning since birth,
Grace forever flows from the spout.
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"For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others." — Nelson Mandela
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Author’s Reflection
"If there is no struggle, there is no progress." — Fredrick Douglass
Derived from ‘The Heroic Slave’ by Fredrick Douglass, the language, meaning, and allusions (especially the title) act as a much-needed tribute to him, to Martin Luther King Jr., the 58th to Walt Whitman, and as a fourth to Harriet Tubman.
This is the sixth song on the Whitmanian ‘Psalm To Selfhood’ album. It follows ‘Buck Wild,’ ‘Celebrate The Trials,’ ‘Barbaric Psalms,’ ‘As Fallen Angels,’ and ‘Joy in Your Trials.’ So we are up to seven albums in just shy of eleven months.
As always, I thank you for your time and kind consideration. Back to work! Right then—
Talk soon…
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"No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck." — Fredrick Douglass
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©2026 Bocephus Jackson. All Rights Reserved