They Called it Freedom
David Subacchi
David Subacchi
The old man told me
about the referendum
in Italy's dark days;
you could vote
for or against
the government.
The “For” box
was on a nice table
next to an attractive
vase of flowers.
He smiled
at the memory.
The “Against” box
was in a dark corner
and standing alongside
was a Blackshirt
with an ugly looking
wooden club.
They called it freedom,
the old man said.
I asked him how he voted
but he shook his head.
They called it freedom,
was all he would say.
about the referendum
in Italy's dark days;
you could vote
for or against
the government.
The “For” box
was on a nice table
next to an attractive
vase of flowers.
He smiled
at the memory.
The “Against” box
was in a dark corner
and standing alongside
was a Blackshirt
with an ugly looking
wooden club.
They called it freedom,
the old man said.
I asked him how he voted
but he shook his head.
They called it freedom,
was all he would say.
David Subacchi lives in Wales, UK, where he was born of Italian roots. He studied at the University of Liverpool. He has four published collections of poetry in English: First Cut (2012), Hiding in Shadows (2014), Not Really a Stranger (2016) and A Terrible Beauty (2016). His work has appeared in many literary magazines and anthologies worldwide.