photo by Bill Eppridge
At Poets United's Mid-Week Motif, Susan has set us the challenge to write an ode to a leader, or to leadership. Hmmmm.........one of my favourite, most humble and loving leaders, Back in the Day, was Bobby Kennedy, a man of the people. Then there wasnt another until Barak Obama. When Obama came along, my heart rekindled with hope once again. It had been a long long time.
You never wanted to be a leader,
but you followed your brother,
as you always had.
You believed from whom much is given,
much is expected,
and you wanted to serve.
When you ran for President,
you didnt speak loftily from podiums.
You were down among the people,
the laborers, the marginalized,
the impoverished, the disenfranchised.
With your honest eyes, your boyish smile,
With your honest eyes, your boyish smile,
your compassion and your love,
you reached out and won all hearts.
You gave us hope, again.
And when they shot you, Bobby,
I stopped believing,
for a long, lonely time.
So it was for me, too. Nicely done, a fine Ode to Bobby.
ReplyDeleteFollowing in someone's shadow is hard enough..to do it almost with public expectation must make it even more difficult..that long, lonely time is resonant..there are only certain people that can fill the void..globally and personally..
ReplyDeleteYou've said it all Sherry, most brilliantly! We all felt it when he was mercilessly brought down. Wonder what it would have been if it hadn't happened!
ReplyDeleteHank
Yes, that boyish smile will never be forgotten, nor will he.
ReplyDeleteNice to remember Bobby. Wonder how things might have been different if...
ReplyDeletefrom whom much is given,
ReplyDeletemuch is expected...truth in that...and an ideal...
and the best place to lead
is among the people...smiles.
Sherry,
ReplyDeleteIndeed it was another bitter event of sadness for democracy. A long time to see some changes. Hopefully history can be kinder...
Eileen:)
A great tribute to a great man
ReplyDeleteA wonderful ode...
ReplyDeleteThe Kennedys have been blighted by so much tragedy. Nice tribute to Bobby Kennedy. We forget so quickly and easily!
ReplyDelete'...has anybody seen my old friend Bobby// can you tell me where he's gone//iv've seen a lot of people now seems the good they die young// can you tell me where they;ve gone...''
ReplyDeletegot to shake his hand when he came through South Bend Indiana
...from whom much is given, much is expected.. are also the shoes one, Barack Obama, walks in now
nice ode, mi amiga
gracias
so young with so much to hope for in those days.
ReplyDeletenow it's the age of irony and cynicism, and hope is a four letter word... :( ~
ReplyDeleteSo did I Sherry ... so did I.
ReplyDeleteThat was a long lonely time, and I am not sure it is over....
ReplyDelete