My hands are loosed from chains br The field awaits my presence today br A while longer, the sun's heat remains br The toil, my bones in pain do pay br br I stretch my arms, present my hands br Another night in bound condition br And dream of oasis in welcome lands br That cools my skin and reverse attrition br br My heart leaps with sudden sound br The wake up noise of the morning guard br The dream is vanished, my hands unbound br Again the heat, again the the stone yard br br A small relief as my muscles surrender br The tenth stone positioned to the master's word br Glancing upward I see a hawk's flight plunder br Chased away by a smaller bird br br Oh, what may I know as I study the sky? br May I smile, take courage, and death do defy? br Why is the red-winged blackbird so brave? br Has the hawk been bewitched, has he lost his fight? br To whom is my worth, what makes me a slave? br My racing thoughts or chains in the night? br br Now ends the day, here are my limbs br Again to be bound as the light dims br But new hope unfolds as I see with my eyes br The heart of the small bird rise br br To do what it must in spite of the foe br It darts at the hawk, reclaiming it's meadow br br And so fear reigns no more, nor will I behave br As if I believe that I am a slave br Fear not the chains, nor my master's stone cart br I'll ponder the small bird, it's fighting heart br br For he is no slave whose mind is his own br Though his body be bound, his work to be shown br The hawk's courage rests only in the shadow cast br I was free and am free and freedom will lastbr br R.