Login
|
Join PoetrySoup
Home
Submit Poems
Login
Sign Up
Member Home
My Poems
My Quotes
My Profile & Settings
My Inboxes
My Outboxes
Soup Mail
Contest Results/Status
Contests
Poems
Poets
Famous Poems
Famous Poets
Dictionary
Types of Poems
Quotes
Short Stories
Articles
Forum
Blogs
Poem of the Day
New Poems
Resources
Syllable Counter
Anthology
Grammar Check
Greeting Card Maker
Classifieds
Member Area
Member Home
My Profile and Settings
My Poems
My Quotes
My Short Stories
My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder
Soup Social
Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us
Member Poems
Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Random
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread
Member Poets
Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest
Famous Poems
Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100
Famous Poets
Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War
Poetry Resources
Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetics
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter
Email Poem
Your IP Address: 3.16.216.51
Your Email Address:
Required
Email Address Not Valid.
To Email Address:
Email Address Not Valid.
Required
Subject
Required
Personal Note:
Poem Title:
Poem
In 1960, I was introduced to the world in a place called Rome A place where gladiators battled at center stage, a place so far away from home Young, robust, handsome; nah 'pretty', that's right 'pretty' A product of Louisville, Kentucky with so much confidence, promise and ability A 'sleeper', well, that's what so many thought of me because they said it just could not be done But I shook up the world in '64 when I beat up the 'Bear', Sonny Liston Metamorphosis of great degrees as I changed my name from Cassius to Muhammad Ali A slave, I think not. Simply poetry in motion as I floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee Unheard of and simply unprecedented for a man to be able to dance and shuffle 10, 12 or even 15 rounds and barely get hit I was light on my feet, powerful with my punch and I had a spirit that said, 'NEVER QUIT' In '67, Uncle Sam took away my belt when no boxer could, and called me a draft dodger Three years gone just like that, but I turned inward and reached deeper "Let it go Ali" "Move On" "This is the end of your story" But little did they know that in 1970, I would get my second wind when I went to Georgia and beat up on poor Jerry Quarry Some said I couldn't take a punch and went so far as to say I was afraid of getting hit Well, apparently these people do not know history because in '73, I fought Big Norton 8 rounds with a broken jaw and I didn't retreat one bit "Man you crazy?" "You gotta be crazy, talkin' 'bout fightin' Big George?" It was time to reinvent myself with what I call the "Ropa Dope" and show the world who was really in charge In '75, I was very much alive but I had never gotten so close to death The "Thrilla in Manila", a time when I pushed Joe and Joe pushed me 'til we both had nothing left Father time started to catch up with me in '78 as I lost and recaptured the championship for an unprecedented 3rd time against the young, brash 'Leon' I still floated, I still danced, I still talked and I still carried the fight like one in a million Larry caught up with me in '80 and Berbick got me in '81 By then it was all too apparent to myself and the world that the "Greatest of all times" was done Dempsey, Johnson, Marciano, Louis, Liston, Norton, Foreman and Frazier were all good. Well, Frazier was damn good! But I am the greatest of all times. And I never stepped into a ring without doing the best I could LOVE, FAITH, HARD-WORK and INTEGRITY This is how the LOUISVILLE LIP, formerly Cassius Clay became Muhammad Ali
CAPTCHA Preview
Type the characters you see in the picture
Required