The following is a paragraph done for this week's assignment on the poem, "Freedom" by William Stafford. It is a comparison of the teacher's personal experience of freedom with the kind of freedom defined by the poet.

A Difficult Freedom

     The poet, William Stafford, has a restrictive view of freedom, that, in one way, has matched my own experience. Luckily, I have been free to make a personal decision that meant “not following a river” as Stafford has stated in his poem. I decided myself and so my action matches Stafford’s idea about freedom. My decision to work part-time to accommodate the needs of my children as they have grown is an example of my own personal freedom to choose. I felt free to make this choice as it is what I wanted to do, though I realize few men have the freedom to not follow the river of habit, tradition, and culture. I understand, however, that many men are “living by creeds” and so conform to what is common and normal in their societies. So, rather than feeling “oppressed,” I have felt free, doing as I have done and continue to do, knowing and enjoying my children through the years of their childhood. To me, it has been the ultimate freedom, but I appreciate how difficult it would be for other men to follow me. It is thus clear how hard it can be to be free to do what we “want to” do

 

 

 

 

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