By Lorna Bees

What does freedom look like after a long season of captivity? In Shackles of Captivity, Lorna Bees writes of deliverance, restoration, faith and abundance through a series of biblical images and declarations. The poem moves from captivity towards freedom, transforming its closing passages into affirmations of restoration and renewed hope.

Delivered from shackles of captivity,
Captives will be taken from warriors,
And plunder retrieved from the fierce.

An adversary to your adversaries,
No weapon formed against me
Shall prosper.

We were like those who were dreaming
When the Lord restored
The captivity of Zion.

He makes His sun rise
On both the just and unjust.
He makes His rain fall
On both the just and unjust.

The Almighty is beneficial to all.

The world shall never ask
Where their God is.

He is the sun and shield,
Light without darkness.

He is a double-edged sword,
Roaring thunder.

He never slanders.
He ascends by fire.

Nothing that prevents His chosen
Shall prevail.

He fills our hearts’ desires
And is not a man to lie.

His words are not void
And never fall to the ground.

Our tongues shall not be filled
With complaints.

Our tongues must be filled
With laughter.

We must dwell in praises
And thanksgiving.

Taste and you shall see
The goodness of the land.

If He will not open
The floodgates of heaven,

If it shall not be
Like the ancient days of Exodus,

If manna shall not
Rain from heaven,

If His people shall not dwell
In blissful abundance.

As we declare a thing,
So shall it be established.

As light shines upon our ways,
So shall we sow light.

Our gifts are within our hands,
And our gifts shall become
Open doors.

Mentality is the most powerful force,
So shall it determine reality.

The ancient principle of life
Is seed, time and harvest.

So shall we sow and reap.
So shall we rise.

So shall we be restored.
So shall we walk in abundance.

So shall we be delivered
From shackles of captivity.

What was delayed
Shall harvest into its appointed time
To Zion.

— Lorna Bees

Author bio

Lorna Bees is an educator and poet whose work explores emotions, human connections, memories, healing, loneliness, hope, and the quiet moments that shape everyday life. She views poetry as a coping mechanism, transforming personal reflections into stories that mirror everyday experiences while leaving room for hope, growth, love, and healing. Her glass-half-full mantra is: “Stay blessed beyond belief.”