Arthur Vaso Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

Notes: He was truly a great man, whose contributions to humanity outweigh any negatives. He was boastful, and proud, but with the lessons of life grew, he was neither born Christian or lived Muslim, he lived as a God, here on earth, and cared for all people, but more so for the downtrodden. This transcends all religions; he was in the end, a poet and a humanitarian.

If only one of his fans had such wisdom!

Mohammed Ali

Mohammed Ali

Cassius Clay

The Legend

He was not a humble man
Everything he did, was big and grand
He taunted and barbed with poetic flair
His opponents he angered
Entertainment in the air

He was a legend, bigger than man
A champion in the ring
He often took a heroic stand
Breaking barriers of narrow minds
He defined his style in his own time

His greatest feats were not title wins
Nor his taunts and bragging sins
Inside there was a more humble man
Who stood for the downtrodden in troubled lands
Full of humility he still could sting like a bee

In the end he floats away
A softer man, of a fighter’s heart
So shed a tear, for this complex legend
Whose humble beginnings’
The butterfly brought home to his roots

God brought him back to his beginning
Cassius Clay he was… and now lives in eternity
Freed not by name
But by convictions... of his
Good deeds

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Sally Eslinger January 24, 2021 at 7:43 PM Magnificient write! I followed his career all along. Loved him. Hisactworked for himwell.

Zayid Muhammad September 3, 2016 at 7:07 PM very good...i need a piece for him...he was a huge personal influence...

Matthew Anish June 28, 2016 at 12:21 AM Nice tribute! Good imagery as well! Peace & Blessings Matthew Anish

Jean Murray June 6, 2016 at 5:13 PM Sexy beast!! Ali I mean. Well done Arthur.

Walter T. Ashe June 5, 2016 at 10:53 PM First Congrats on this POTD! You have written a very insightful work on "The Greatest!"

Red Fiery June 5, 2016 at 10:20 PM congratulations for such a brilliant work...Freed not by name But by convictions.....u brought enlightenment through your words !!! A fav and A 7~ Red

Demetrios Trifiatis June 5, 2016 at 3:32 PM A fantastic tribute to a real great man! I almost have got the same age with him (72) I remember him from the Olympics of Rome in 1960 where he won Gold and then I followed all his fights when in Greece and then in Canada! Athletes like him we will not find! he was also a great entertainer! Excellent dear Arthur! Congratulations for POTD. I thought my poem : "Death My Pal" will be there: Haha! You deserve it, my friend! Arthur Vaso June 5, 2016 at 8:12 PM Thank you Demetrios kind sir!

John Fleming June 5, 2016 at 2:43 PM The ring is the loneliest place in all of the whole wide world. There is no hiding...No respite...No escape. It is where a man finds questions he otherwise might not think to ask. Muhammad Ali...A credit to his race - The human race! Heaven is blessed tonight - For the greatest amongst us has returned home!! God bless and protect you...Muhammad Ali. John Harold Fleming. Richard Lamoureux June 8, 2016 at 5:52 PM What a great comment, I enjoyed it almost as much as the poem!!! Arthur Vaso June 5, 2016 at 8:11 PM What a beautiful dedication John, thank you!

Connie Marcum Wong June 5, 2016 at 2:24 PM I faved this wonderful poem yesterday when I commented on it Arthur. I am so pleased to see it as POTD! Congratulations my friend. Truly a deserving honor. ; ) Arthur Vaso June 5, 2016 at 8:11 PM Thanks Connie! Hugs!

Anne-Lise Andresen June 5, 2016 at 11:52 AM - A great tribute, Arthur - Congratulations on your p.o.t.d. - hugs // Anne-Lise :) Arthur Vaso June 5, 2016 at 8:10 PM Thank you Anne-Lise Sunshine is such a fitting moniker for you, you always make me smile!

Andrea Dietrich June 5, 2016 at 10:46 AM oh my, and a POTD as well. CONGRATULATIONS Arthur Vaso June 5, 2016 at 5:33 PM Double thanks!

Andrea Dietrich June 5, 2016 at 10:46 AM I can see why you liked him so much, you have some of what he had inside you. You are a hero in your own right, Arthur, to the downtrodden of the world, through your poetry. A very nice tribute this was. Arthur Vaso June 5, 2016 at 5:33 PM You are way too kind! :) hugs

Andrea Dietrich June 5, 2016 at 10:44 AM Ha, I am looking at the Ali quote. That is SO FUNNY Arthur Vaso June 5, 2016 at 5:32 PM Thanks Andrea! :) hugs

Jan Allison June 5, 2016 at 10:08 AM A wonderful tribute to a great man - congrats on POTD:-) hugs Jan xx Arthur Vaso June 5, 2016 at 5:32 PM Thanks Jan! hugs

Angeline Haikutwinkle June 5, 2016 at 8:14 AM A great tribute.... and congratulations Arthur Vaso June 5, 2016 at 5:31 PM Thank you very much Angeline!

Charlie Smith June 5, 2016 at 8:08 AM I got to see Ali-Frazier 1 at the garden in NYC. In 71. Frazier knocked Ali down in the 15th. And went on to win the decision. They called it the "white mans verdict". He came back to beat Frazier twice in subsequent fights. He was the greatest athlete I ever saw. He lived his life with conviction and great courage, something lacking in most folks today. It only adds to his greatness... Arthur Vaso June 5, 2016 at 5:31 PM Thanks Charlie! Nice to hear different peoples stories as they lived the events!

Gary Bateman June 5, 2016 at 7:41 AM A Great Tribute here Arthur to a very fine human being!! "Ali" was, is, and always will be: "The Greatest!!" May he rest in peace. Cheers and Best, Gary (This one's a FAV too . . .) Arthur Vaso June 5, 2016 at 5:30 PM Thanks Gary, hope all is well with you!

Nandita Das June 5, 2016 at 4:40 AM What a beautiful tribute to the legend! So apt and deserving POTD. A fav. Arthur Vaso June 5, 2016 at 5:29 PM Thank you so much Nandita!

CayCay Godwin June 5, 2016 at 2:03 AM Mohammed Ali will be remembered by me and based on a few tributes I've read tonight, countless others will also carry his memory. Your tribute is the first rhymed one that I have read and my favorite. You danced and jabbed in a poetic style, Ali would would have embraced without guile. You go, Arthur - CayCay Arthur Vaso June 5, 2016 at 5:29 PM ahh thats so sweet of you to say! Thank you!

Connie Marcum Wong June 4, 2016 at 10:59 PM Your tribute to this Larger than Life man does him justice Arthur and is one of the finest tributes to his real nature I have ever read. I hope many read this wonderful poem and pass it to his family! I met him and his wife when she was pregnant with twins on one of my flights from Los Angeles to Honolulu. He was a real loveable character that expressed joy in everything. RIP Mohammed Ali! There is no one who compares. #7 : ) Arthur Vaso June 5, 2016 at 5:28 PM That so nice to hear Connie! :) thanks!

Tim Smith June 4, 2016 at 10:52 PM A great tribute to a tremendous fighter with great flair in and out of the ring. Arthur Vaso June 4, 2016 at 10:54 PM Thanks Tim, he was sure all of that! He built bridges, not walls!

Probir Gupta June 4, 2016 at 10:51 PM Heartfelt tribute through this lovely poem for the great soul who could float like a butterfly and sting like a bee...the poem for today in every heart..... Arthur Vaso June 4, 2016 at 10:54 PM Thank you Probir! :)