The Slave

They set the slave free, striking of his chain;
then he was as much of a slave than ever.

          He was still chained to servility,
          he was still manacled to indolent and sloth,
          he was still bound by fear and superstition,
          by ignorance, suspicion and savagery,
          his slavery was not in the chains,
          but in himself.

They can only set free men free.
And there is no need of that:
free men set themselves free.

Author: James Oppenheim