Poem: "Leaves in Passage"

This poem came out of the February 2013 Torn World Muse Fusion.  It was inspired by a prompt from wyld_dandelyon.  It also fills the#12 Disputed slot on the Rainbowfic Vellum list.  This poem has been sponsored by janetmiles.  It belongs to the Torn World project.

In the jungle,
you may travel
where and when you wish.

There are no forms to fill out,
no claims, no permissions disputed
or quarreled over or billed.

The trees will not ask
to see your licenses.

They do not care
if you are Purist
born free and remaining
in the bush by choice

or a former citizen
with a tattoo scraped off
or inked over anew
or covered by a leather band
to help you forget
what you left behind.

The leaves that flutter here
are the leaves of trees,
free as the bright-winged birds
that sing unseen in the foliage,
not the leaves of paper
made from dead trees
to bind up the lives of people.

Take to the trail.
Travel where you will.

Only keep your ears open in passage
for those who would imprison you
in paper chains,

for the territory, ah,
that is still disputed
by those who do not feel
that people or trees should go free.