Mandela

What makes Mandela a great man? Was it that he opposed apartheid? So what? He wasn’t alone in that That doesn’t make him great That would make half the world great What makes Mandela a great man? Was it that he led the ANC’s military wing? So what? Not really the stuff of greatness Just another bloody terrorist What makes Mandela a great man? Was it his twenty seven years in jail? So what? Murder and rape will achieve that That doesn’t make him great What makes Mandela a great man? Was it that he symbolized the struggle? A beacon against apartheid So what? That doesn’t make him great What makes Mandela a great man? Is it that he’s a nice silver haired old man? With a warm affable smile So what? That could be my granddad What makes him a great man? Was it that he was the first black president? Of a free South Africa Very historic But that alone doesn’t make him great What makes Mandela a great man Is his humility His humanity He could have spoken in vengeance Yet he spoke of reconciliation He could have evened the score Balanced the books For black South Africa He could have unleashed A black tide of death and destruction Upon the white minority Pay back But he did not Instead he spoke forgiveness He could have been a Mugabe And never relinquished power But chose to serve only one term Then handed on the baton His work was done His greatness set in stone