Declaration of Freedom as to Print
By Annabel Livingston, of Ohio

A child said,

I don’t have to give myself

To my mother or other people.

But if I read,

I have found out

That I have to give myself to the words.

Damn it.

Such a slavery.

You can’t say anything

Unless you look at something already written or printed.

This is not for a girl like me.

I got away from people,

And I have wanted to get away from slavery to print, writing, the alphabet.

Everything I say should be me,

Fresh from me,

No page, paper interfering.