The Greatest of Leaders

They fought for a man with a heart made of gold Who freed all the slaves by the truth that he told A leader who conquered the world in his way And brought lasting peace that we honor today He led with a vision that all should be free To plan for the future and choose what to be Where wisdom is virtue and virtue is choice To cast your own ballot and lift up your voice For what kind of living is life without joy Where slave owners keep but they never employ Or free the poor slave who is sure he can't win Or run from the pigment that colors his skin This man and his army who stood with the brave Were bound and determined to free every slave Because they still honored the truth they were taught That all men are born to be free and not bought They fought with a fierceness that nobody knew And fighting they fostered a vision that grew That freedom is more than a right or a word But something to win by the victory assured For goodness and mercy are worthy to share When leaders are led by the virtue to care They rise with a righteousness hard to defeat And raise up the flag with the enemy beat The greatest of leaders is one you'll agree Is someone of stature you know you can be For like the brave people who lived in the past The future belongs to the ones who stand last. Submitted to the "N/A Poem from a February Contest" contest on March 16, 2021 Sponsored by Constance La France Originally submitted to the "Your Favorite President" Poetry Contest in February, 2021. Judged on February 21, 2021