Freedom Writers

"Ils écrivent contre la pandémie. 

Leur art est au service de notre liberté. 

Douze poèmes, douze poètes du Lycée Albert 1er".

So long encroached in a shell about to burst open

So long like the chord of a crossbow curled and shriveled and now anxious to extend

I have been deprived of my liberty

One year of restriction for a 16-year old is like 4 years of sorrow for a grown-up

One year of restriction for a teenager is like 10 years of prison for an adult

The dreams of my happiness have been destroyed

My mind needs to separate from the void

A void I have filled only with will and determination

Deep down it was about patience, courage, and honor

Now my evil is healing as fast as light

The day is here when our sorrows are appeased

The day is here when the light comes at the end of the tunnel

Today is the day, they said on the radio. They have relayed the information

All over social media. It is over! And we’ve learned from it.

I can finally open myself to the world

I feel I can reach to everyone and everywhere

I feel freedom

I feel free to choose

Free to have hope

Open up art galleries

Open up borders

Open up eyes and minds of all

Open us to each other

For pleasure,

I’m dancing on the beach at midnight and I’m hugging my grandmother over and over again

I am playing basketball at the local ground and I am travelling

I am travelling all around the world to any country I want until the bank account collapses

I am smiling to all and they smile back

Being together with friends, we celebrate

In a word, living again…

May this day come soon!

May this keep me hanging there!

May this trace the path before me!

May this guide my future to better days!

May our lives resume again!

And my sadness disappear forever!

Sophie MATILE 1°G2

Revival

When fall returns to our world

We will remember the flag furled.

The leaves fall,

And the pain we’ve all

Known, felt and this feeling to retire

From this sort of new lifestyle,

Wearing a mask, social distancing, curfew,

All these new words, all these new habits,

An all-new life.

I thought Nothing Gold Can Stay,

But now I pray all these moments to fade

Away from our memories.

Perhaps the world ends here,

Where the flowers wilt,

And the wind blows everything that has been built

During the previous season.

I remember the saddest one,

Usually the time where family and friends gather,

However here for some reason

For some misbehaviour;

Our loneliness is at its peak,

Yeah, but it’s only for one week,

They said.

This monster taking control over our life,

Empty roads,

Empty schools,

Empty cities,

That wasn’t the life I imagined.

Weeks and weeks, I spent terrified,

Too afraid to walk outside,

Because nothing could stop him.

When can we stick our heads out?

When will the dawn arrive?

When can we really be free?

Come on, let us await that day.

After wishing his comeback,

Here comes the Sun,

At this moment I understand the long run

That we’ve done, a huge throwback

In my head.

Summer from her golden memories;

Where every sun beam is a honeycomb.

Finally, the flames right inside of me

Came out;

I think we are free.

It is just a doubt.

And this flower covered by a bee

With its frightened sting,

However, the serum they bring

At last, gathering for parties,

The completion of our union

My dream, a reality.

A revival

The freedom as a heaven-sent.

                                                                       Lola CIANTELLI – 1°G6

 Celebration

It’s started with nothing

As we didn’t see a thing coming

A virus was spreading

And did a lot of killing

This virus came from the West side

In all over the world is now propagating

People now have to decide

How to control this parasite that is dominating.

This pandemic has affected the world in every aspect

Indeed, a lot of lives have been wrecked

By causing many deaths,

And plunging the economy into debts…

This nightmare came from the shadow,

Started a run and didn’t slow,

Forcing us to lock ourselves in,

With the impression that our home turned into a small cabin.

This tsunami that gets everywhere,

Circulating in the air,

Can no longer reach us,

Because we finally eradicated this virus.

Billions of masks have been produced,

To stop the contamination we had to introduce,

A vaccine is now available,

Of fighting this darkness, we are now capable.

What is life going to be?

After all this time away from sociality…

Hello freedom,

New life: welcome!

Laughing and having the fun that we missed,

A lot to catch up is on the list.

What are we going to do first?

After having lived the worst.

Nothing can reach us anymore,

We want to live more and more,

Enjoying every moment,

That’s why we made an agreement.

Live this life fully,

And finally going to be happy,

No more lockdowns,

And these days of mental breakdowns

Are finally behind us,

On our work now we can focus.

Work is being redefined,

Talk, socialize, as we can remind,

And finally, discover that we change,

In a way that is kind of strange.

COVID-19

That took everything

COVID-19

Appeared in Spring

COVID-19

We start stopping

COVID-19

A new life is rising.

                                                                       Célia CHARLOT – 1°G9

Waking up this morning, I couldn’t believe that our country put an end to this horrible situation. This feeling of not wearing a mask is just incredible. It is as if when you breathe you finally live again, just like a new-born baby smelling this fresh air of freedom. This year has been the most difficult for everyone. This constant feeling that we were prisoners, prisoners of our freedom, of our own life. As if Nature were taking power over us, telling us what to do, whether we see our family or not. It was as if our lives were put on pause. Today we are free prisoners who are able to live, to travel, to see and cherish our family again. It seems that we are discovering new feelings and emotions since it has been so long that we haven’t felt this way. Tonight, I finally planned to go out with my friends, what a relief! Of course, if I had said that a year ago this would have sounded totally ridiculous. But when you tell yourself that yesterday the only liberty you had was going to school and then go back home, this feels totally insane. There are so many things that I want to do, so much time that I need to catch up, that I don’t even know where to start. Going back to the beach feels just incredible, the salted water going all over your body, the sand on your skin disturbing you, tan lines, crystal water and a shining sun, this is what paradise is like. When I think how ridiculous I was, being angry at the sand that stuck to my skin, what a shame! I think that the sanitary situation opened our eyes on what is truly important. Maybe this happened for a reason, maybe humans were going way too far and were forgetting what true values were, and this was a way for us to open our eyes on what is truly important. Good health, enjoying moments that we thought weren’t anything but that are now meaning a lot.

Victoria SANDIAS – 1°G9

This virus will always have an impact on us, how could

We forget those lockdowns and curfew when what we just

Wanted was discovering something new.

Living and then sleeping, our days were restricted

Everything fell down when what we just wanted was running

Freely towards a field.

Time went by, slowly I guess

But let’s imagine what could happen next

Not wearing masks like clowns

And be delivered from lockdowns

We just don’t want to live like zombies

But travel to all the different countries to make new memories

Going to the restaurant late at night

Having again all our right

Let’s spend time together

And be mine forever

The vaccine is the only solution, for a new evolution

The world has to live again, and show off its brain

Our people are talented but for now they’re hidden

Because yes, we’re not free yet, we are just taking care of our pet

That’s just imagination, we’re just sitting on our chairs trying to use alliteration

Writing a 300-word essay on freedom whereas the only

Place we can go is home

What could we write about?

We don’t even remember our lives before, the only thing

We can hope for is that everything will be over for summer.

At this point, we will be able to express our feelings and

Tell our stories with our fresh memories.

Friends, family, and vacation is all we need

We have to forget about the Covid

Of course, we will remember those who are gone

And for them we will carry on.

Mathilde TROSSARELLO – 1°G3

Today, it is not a comma that we put; it is a period. Finally, it is possible to breathe deeply without being afraid of infecting your own family. Today is a new beginning for us, thanks to science, doctors, and the good faith of each of us, we are free. Free to go out, free to enjoy every moment, free to travel, free to rediscover the world around us, this world that in the end we thought we knew. Will everything return to normal? No, I don’t think so. But we have already taken a big step forward. Only a year ago, nobody would have thought that their liberties would be taken away overnight, that they would find themselves locked between four walls, that they would not be able to go out without giving a valid reason. Are they kidding us? We felt like we were going down the rabbit hole, Alice-wise. We were alone to fight. We have all lost a year of our lives, a year. Some lost a whole life of work. Maybe it doesn’t mean much to you, but not to me. During those years we could have travelled, cherished moments with our loved ones and our family, especially our family. Many of us have died of fear of infecting their parents.

Moreover, we had to study from home, for many of us it was not easy. We were locked up, isolated, and we suffocated like a diver who had no more air.

The virus scared us, killed us, murdered us.

We had to fight this invisible, unpredictable, undetectable, impalpable thing. But we succeeded, we fought.

Today, this page has been turned. Our chains were finally broken, and it is beautiful and well and truly turned. Many souls who have reached heaven look down on us and are proud of us. Just this morning, I was able to go out to see my friends, visit my family and book a trip for this summer. It’s good to feel alive again. Believe it or not, tomorrow I will finally be able to achieve what I have been waiting to do since the beginning of this sanitary crisis. Tomorrow evening, as soon as the sun sets, I will go on the roof of a building and watch the city slowly go out and see the lights go out minute by minute, then I will listen to the city become silent until dawn.

Lou TEISSEIRE – 1°G8

Winter is gone

Chained in the moundly creepers,

By a mask, a flower was born in the corners.

The hope of a New Spring,

Of a gentleness of a breath,

Through the valley we’re still running,

Like the time of this lost wealth.

Thousands of floating regrets.

Some “I love yous” not said to the fallen leaves during a storm.

Destroyed by our threats

Your dirty crown formed a swarm,

Union and Benevolence drive us towards happiness and liberty.

In the fullness of time, we fade our fragility.

In the fullness of time, weakness will be strength.

In the fullness of time, the witted flower will find health.

In the fullness of time, the storm will be just dust.

Trust me, in the fullness of time our smile will be the fantastic thrust,

Vengeful of our freedom.

O Winter, you took us a long time.

Prisoners of your dome,

Slave of your crimes,

By our zest of living

We’ll not cease fighting

We’ll not cease to cry out your name

We’ll not cease to forget you,

We’ll not cease to smile.

We’ll not cease to stand for your name,

O dear Liberty.

We missed you.

Nowadays, by our side, you’re there

And never you’ll be left.

Yohann MORET – TG8

Freedom

Freedom.

Lockdown.

Two words opposite in every way possible

One so celebrating, the other so dull.

Sickness.

Virus.

Two words we are now familiar with

Not only because it’s been a year of suffering

But because it’s a time we’ll all commemorate as something never seen.

Living.

The only word that matters today

Because we know we’re all Covid’s prey.

Yet does being alive mean, I am living?

Living with Covid is a daily set routine:

Wake up, get dressed, work, get back, sleep.

Repeat. Again. And again. And again.

Until every day feels the same

And it all seems like a never-ending game

Never-ending just like the flame of our hope.

A hope of a future restored

A hope of a future beloved

And this poem is an ode to life itself,

To all the beauty within it

To all the moments we stop for a second

And look up to the sky

Take a deep breath

And realize we are alive,

To all the moments we spent with our loved ones

To all the experiences we await

To all the secrets it contains

To all life offers us and we never take the time to appreciate.

And all will come back to us.

And I hope that when it does,

Not only we’ll be ready to embrace it

But to appreciate it at its value,

Because we tend to forget that

We are little pieces of stardust

And in life we must trust.

From now on our vision of Life has been altered

Never we’ll perceive it the same.

And when we’ll earn our way back to freedom

We’ll all think back on when Life challenged us most

And be proud of our success

Because even if we lost many battles that seemed endless

We never quit the greatest

Until we came out of it victorious

Never lost unity until we were glorious.

And above everything else

Remember the lesson She taught us all

Which is to be grateful to be at all.

Marine COIA – TG2

She is back she is here

We finally have it back

You are maybe wondering who I am talking about

I’m talking about our liberty

Our dear and loved liberty

After all those things we have been through

We deserve to be free again and we are finally free

Free from this virus that ruined our lives

Free from this prison

We have been trapped for too long and now

We can go out without permission

We can hug the people we love

We can live our lives normally again

There is no more COVID-19! Can you believe it?

This virus is gone!

We don’t have to deal with it anymore!

No more masks, no more lockdown

Now there is just happiness and only happiness

Are you ready?

Ready to go to the beach, enjoy the sun and tan?

Because I am!

I have been waiting for this moment and I’m sure you have been waiting for it too

After hell we have to appreciate that chance to start again

To be free again and that’s what we have been waiting for

We took our freedom for granted and now we all realize that we can lose everything even

The things like liberty

Being locked up was harsh for every single one of us but we can’t and we won’t think about

That anymore

Because now that era ended

Now it’s our moment, now is our time

After being trapped by that virus we have to live to the fullest

We have to enjoy our lives

We have to live freely but most of all

We have to make the most of our lives and our freedom

And don’t forget to love your family and friends and spend more time with them

Be you be happy be free

And now we can live again

Shall we?

Jessica Soraia DA SILVA FREITAS – TG8

My World

Who would have believed

One year ago only,

Our world would have totally changed,

Our world would have been unrecognizable,

Our world would have disappeared.

Meanwhile people were dying…

Who would have believed,

Our streets would be deserted,

Our restaurants and bars would be closed

And our theaters and cinemas would be quiet.

Meanwhile people were dying…

Our lives became so miserable behind our masks which hid our lost smiles and our sadness.

Kisses and hugs were forbidden banishing connections

And destroying social contact by building a wall between people.

Meanwhile people were dying…

We lived in a prison built by governments to protect us from the Covid-19 virus,

Our apartments became a cell we were allowed to leave for one hour a day to

Get a breath of fresh air, only if we signed a form to show to the police.

I felt like a prisoner and I wanted to remove my ball and chains,

To go out when and where I wished,

To be able to see everyone I loved,

To do everything I enjoyed,

Like walking, running, jumping,

Riding, flying, or sailing.

And little by little our freedom has come back, at last!

The sky opened up above us,

The sun came up and was shining,

And rainbows appeared spreading colours everywhere,

Our nights became our days.

Meanwhile people were living…

The walls around the world fell down and the flags rose up

Freedom could raise its arms to heaven and felt relieved

And it was screaming its victory!

Meanwhile people were living…

Kids were playing in the streets,

Elders took them by their hands,

They all threw their masks away,

And we could see their smiles on their faces and their happiness recovered.

After this war, compassion became necessary

To limit loneliness and suffering, unemployment and poverty.

Solidarity hugged human beings and expressed its love for them.

Yes! Our world has changed,

Thus, a new and a better world has come.

                                                                       Coline JOURNET – TG8

Hope is all we need.

What’s the key to happiness?

Some may say it’s to worry less,

Some others may say to go with the flow,

I think it’s a threat that makes us grow.

What do people expect from us?

Wake up, work, discuss,

Go home, eat and sleep, here is the routine that makes us sad.

Our physical and mental health is getting bad.

Teenagers are torn apart in a time when they should tie together,

Among them, the darkness,

What a mess…

Remember,

When children used to play

Running, laughing, smiling,

When they used to take all the pain away,

Remember,

When they weren’t thinking.

Now they’re trapped in a mask,

Not able to have fun in the park,

Stay away from our friends,

What a task…

You have to forget the past

Take your dreams as a seed

And make them last.

Life is a new opportunity,

Just like a child

She brings back your liberty

Brings you back to the start

Brings you back to the wild.

Open the cage,

To the new age,

Take a breath, we are free

Open your eyes, look at the sea,

The elements are alive, playing a melody

To help us celebrate

With all our faith;

Liberty.

We have to socialize again,

Call your thousand friends,

Make more and more memories

Now we have no time to waste.

What about love?

The romantic definition flying away like a dove.

What about the time we used to enjoy?

All we are doing when allowed to go out is looking for our forgiven joy.

Above,

Above the clouds,

Where there are white ones;

Heaven seems bright,

So bring back the light.

Freedom goes with hope;

And hope is all we need.

Anonymous

We may have experienced the biggest sanitary crisis of the 21^st century.

However, as Socrates said: “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy,

Not on fighting the old, but building the new”.

Now, I ask you: what if this worldwide pandemic didn’t affect our lives only in a bad way?

If Covid-19 taught us anything, is that we must cherish what we have.

During those harsh times, I used to remember the feeling of excitement

When you take the plane to discover a new country;

I used to remember the feeling of reading a good book in a café, while enjoying my mocha.

I used to remember when I wasn’t scared to see my grandparents because of this virus.

And I used to remember the sensation of meeting around a table with my loved ones.

This is what kept me from feeling depressed, the memories, because I believe that

In a shattered world, we should not lose our hopeful mindsets.

However, I asked myself: since when did it become so hard to use our liberties? Because freedom is the basis of our human rights, freedom is like the source where we take our air to breathe.

The Covid-19 switched off the world but the only thing we wanted was to not be controlled, the only thing the teenagers wanted was to have fun and have a normal education and the only thing new businesses and restaurants wanted was that the economy didn’t stop.

However, our world isn’t broken and now that our freedom is restored, I deem we used to take so many things for granted.

For instance, as simple as it can seem, just going on a walk without having to justify yourself, or going to museums, cinemas, and theaters to cut off from the world. Also, to travel and discover new countries, or even to go back home whatever the time. But above all, not wearing a mask because it became a frontier between people and countries.

And those basic human liberties were taken away from us.

Nevertheless, thanks to science and progress, the light came again while the shade stepped away. Indeed, medicine was our wings that made us free from Hades’ jail, and this scientific improvement created the vaccine that saved our lives.

Chloé COPPEE – TG8