The Stairway to Freedom - a poem by Anthony Marr

The Stairway to Freedom

by
Anthony Marr


Xenia Kennedy, AndRea EndBsl Ⓥ Earthling, Deborah Sweeney and 78 others like this.

Elena Ⓥ Black: "This is one of the most BEAUTIFUL things I've ever read!!!"

Carolyn Bailey: "It's beautiful. ♥"

Angela Arkalakis: "These are the most beautiful words I've ever read!!"

George Albayan: "Anthony Marr, did you write that POEM?" (Anthony Marr: "Yes.")

Avril Simms: "Amazing!"

LoVegan Ⓥ Loredana Versaci: "Magnificent! The Stairway to Freedom is made of billion steps but we will get to the top and set them ALL free!!! Perfect ♥♥♥"

Soheil Asadnejad: "Wow thank you. So beautiful you made my day. :)"

Yael Dierenrechten: "Wow ♥ As Elena wrote :one of the most beautiful,most precious words and image i have ever read. Thank you Anthony Marr. ♥"

Eileen Campbell: "Beautiful words....so beautiful...."

OneVoice ForAr: "Yes we must do what we can to change the world and leave the depths of despair! Such insight....excellent! Thank you so much, Anthony!"

Jody Sidote: "Thank you for the inspiration. No doubt we'll get them there-each and every one."

Christy Ⓥ Melanson: "Beautiful ♥ XX Thanks! love XXX"

Trudy A. Moore: "Amazingly beautiful. ♥ Wonderful to read!! ♥ Thanks my friend♥"
February 25 at 12:03pm · Report

Vin Diamond" "Positive light on the world... and thank you!"

Anna Hilvervik: "Spirit!"

Doris A Lamprecht: "So Bautiful and Moving ,thank you. Sharing and Saving!"

Monique Boutot" "Moving and so true!! Just beautiful! Thank you!"

Freedom Therry Ⓥ Jackson: "So wonderfull and true ♥ Thank you Brother."

Indrani Sircar: "Felt like adrenaline to the senses. Good feeling."

Angela Crystal Ara: "Really moving. Thanks for sharing. ♥"

Judith Jaehn: "Simply breathtaking...Truly moving...Shared!!"

Jimmy Khater: "Amazing!"

Kimberley Anne Combs: "How beautiful & insightful!!! You're amazing!"

Paola Sarahi Tejeda Blanco: "Que bonita la imagen!"

Diane Ⓥ Campbell: "Truly beautiful it is!!!"

Susan Bennett: "Anthony, in this tumultuous time of cynicism and despair, your words are beautifully written, to be read many times, as well as the video's images and Stairway, a classic. You are a great gift to all of us."

Melissa MacDonald: "Anthony! What a truly inspirational and beautiful poem. It is very profound and original as I see that it came from your true spirit. I am in tears. Thank you, my friend! xo"

Melanie Lollar: "Stunning."

Denise Norman: "Anthony, you're an inspiration to all... including me ;-)."

Greg Robertson Osh: "Anthony, to say that I am moved would be likened to calling the wind inconsequential, I am deeply deeply touched, thank you, Greg."

Sonia Fey: "Absolutely stunning. Beautiful. Graceful."

Paul Fusch: "You are such a warrior poet, my brother! You are a man of many talents. :)"

MicheLe Castillo: "A man of many talents I see! Your poem is amazing and Tia was 'in tune' with you when she produced the video... this is one I will watch more than once! ♥♥"

Nan Sea Love: "Wow, Anthony this is a great poem, and beautifully illustrated with the video. At first it reminded me of Plato's Cave but as i continued to watch and read i found it totally original and deeply profound. Maybe it will not be so bad if i lose my house after all as four of my friends have if it liberates me to spend more time working for all species and the Earth. ♥"

Catherine Garneau: "I just watched this video again and it struck me even deeper than the first time. We all need to dismantle our 'mansions' and leave behind falsehoods. This is hauntingly beautiful and so deeply meaningful. To transcend this lower life we really must dismantle our old beliefs and rebuild together. Thank you, Anthony for sharing your spiritual insights in such a beautiful, artistic way."





One who dwells in the bottom of a well
will say that the sky is small.
Another may even insist to tell
that there is no sky at all
but a hole in The World's ceiling overhead
through which the light from Heaven is shed.

Of a great dried well was indeed what I dreamed
on whose bottom I was born and raised it seemed.
So dried this world of a well had become
Two hundred ponds were all that remained in sum,
each claimed and owned by one walled estate
who regarded its neighbors with jealousy and hate.

The wall of the well was high as the sky,
surrounding the World Village an unbroken cliff,
to try scaling which many have died falling,
and some by leaping, all understood why
who have sought an escape, no "but" nor "if",
as they heard again their freedom's calling.

For though of mansions our well-world was full,
and magnificent they could all be deemed,
yet the barbed-wire spoke of peace unachieved,
and feuds amongst families raged bloody and cruel.
To their gods they prayed, of palaces they dreamed,
but few for what vision had yet to be conceived.

Our world, sadly, was not brimming with wealth.
Fuel and building materials were in short supply.
Sooner or later we would surely kill
for the last wheelbarrow of coal, by force or stealth.
Afterward, they say, "I'll suffer their orphans' cry."
Meanwhile, there's no doubt if they won't or will.

Still the root cause of this predicament persisted –
to out-luxuriate the Smiths and Joneses bar none.
A few spoke of consequences but none had resisted
this tradition passed on from father to son.
To honor this cause entire generations had insisted,
a purpose upheld, if not fulfilled, by everyone.

It was certainly not fulfilled, if still upheld, by me.
Examine my purchasing record, and you'd agree.
My estate was still in grandeur, but grandeur in decline.
About the only thing new was in this garden of mine –
a giant question mark, paved in stone. But then,
what eyes could see it except those in Heaven?

Besides, what eyes in this world would even care?
It came as no surprise, therefore,
when Raminothna descended into this world-at-war,
the landing was made here and not over there.
She told me about the boundless universe beyond
this miserable little world of which I was not fond.

And I was told of the myriad living things
inhabiting those wondrous realms above,
and of the spiritual freedom that knowledge brings,
and universal truth, and peace, and love.
Like a caged tiger I began to pace
within my confining, confounding space.

Finally, I confronted Raminothna, saying,
"What are you here for?" And her reply:
"To bring you deliverance. To set you free."
But her discarded wings I could plainly see.
In ill-concealed skepticism I continued to pry:
"And how do you plan to accomplish that? By staying?"

"By persuading you to build a stairway, my love,
one leading to the domains above."
"What with? Do you realize what that would demand?
And that supplies are stockpiled, but none by me?"
"I see building materials right at hand,"
said Raminothna, "and supplies aplenty."

Following her illuminating eyes I was shocked to see
they're fixed on this mansion of mine. I replied in dismay,
"I would gladly take my house apart, stone by stone,
and transform it into a stairway to freedom, on my own,
if I knew that the last stone would set me free.
But plainly, it wouldn't take me a hundredth of the way."

"Then let it be the foundation of your stairway to Heaven."
"After that, what then? I have nothing else, not even a dime."
"I see more than enough, considering all your brethren."
Following Raminothna's eyes again, I saw this time
they were sweeping the mansions all around, stone and gem.
"I see. And how do you propose to persuade them?"

Thereupon, Raminothna's penetrating gaze
moved to fix itself upon my face.
So shocked was I the dream ejected me
but then, in the dawn light I see
in the mirror misted in the morning chill
that her gaze is fixed upon mine eyes still.


Anthony Marr, Founder and President
Heal Our Planet Earth (HOPE)
Global Anti-Hunting Coalition (GAHC)
Anthony-Marr@HOPE-CARE.org
www.HOPE-CARE.org
www.MySpace.com/AnthonyMarr
www.YouTube.com/AnthonyMarr
www.myspace.com/Anti-Hunting_Coalition
www.GAHC.wordpress.com
www.HomoSapiensSaveYourEarth.blogspot.com
www.ARConference.org
www.AnimalVoices.org