Finding Freedom
Kristin Osika
At first it comes as a fleeting thought, a crashing wave of subconscious significance. An involuntary spasm of the mind, one much too radical for a woman of her kind. Yet it persists, undergoing a metamorphosis, fighting suppression by an entranced bourgeoisie, that allows just one definition of what a woman should be. They say she must sit properly, and play the piano. They leave no room for her to have a melody of her own or a life outside of home. Freedom takes the form of high hopes, paint strokes, and the casual glint in a young gentleman’s eye. He gives her strength to soar high he makes her think she can fly, even in New Orleans’ hierarchical sky. Yet even he cannot resist the allure of being to her, a proper monsieur.
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