Olly Olly Oxen Free!
What do those words mean except, "Come out from hiding, there is no risk of you being "it!"
I never liked being "it" so I became a very good hider and a rather unwilling seeker. In fact, I can't remember ever being a seeker when our neighborhood kids gathered to play together. I was convinced if I was the seeker I wouldn't ever find anyone.
As an adult I realize how odd that is, because if I was such a good hider, wouldn't I have taught myself all the tricks of the 'don't get caught so now I can find all those sneaks a lot easier?"
No one could ever convince the very stubborn me this now realized truth when I was seven or eight or even thirteen-years-old. Especially at thirteen-years-old.
Olly Olly Oxen Free! As it turns out, was derived from the long ago cry of a herald, saying "All ye, All ye, 'outs' in free!" which meant if you were in hiding (not playing a game, mind you) you could come in without penalty - as in being arrested.
I think I'll use that in a poem soon.
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Julie
Jordan Scott is a writer, performance poet, Mommy and mixed-media artist. Her
word-love themed art will be for sale at First Friday each month in Downtown
Bakersfield. Check out the links below to follow her on a bunch of different
social media channels, especially if you find the idea of a Word-Love Party bus
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