The Kennedy Center is known to the world
For honoring those in the arts –
From Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Astaire,
Whose talents top all of the charts.
Sinatra, Gene Kelly, L. Bernstein, Kazan
And Benny and Lena and Merce,
Ray Charles, Lucille Ball, Isaac Stern and George Burns,
The list both profound and diverse.
Belafonte and Ailey and Hepburn and Peck,
Gillespie and Sondheim, the Who;
Aretha and Dylan and Kander and Ebb,
Judith Jamison, Chuck Berry, too.
Baryshnikov, Quincy, Paul Simon and Cash,
Warren Beatty, James Taylor and Cher;
Tina Turner and Spielberg and Barbra and Tharp,
Yo Yo Ma, Dustin Hoffman – all there.
Al Pacino and Elton, De Niro and Streep,
Lily Tomlin, Santana and Sting;
LL Cool J and Reba and Joni, Mel Brooks,
Lionel, Dick Van Dyke, Carole King.
There are more I’ve not mentioned, but going ahead,
It is going to be quite a shock
When the Kennedy Center will honor, perhaps,
Village People or maybe Kid Rock.
Oh, I fear for this country in so many ways
And it feels we’ve been stabbed in our hearts
With the Kennedy Center now being run
By a man with no stake in the arts.
Categories:
belafonte, art,
Form: Rhyme
Some are born Harlem Mercedes
and cast their shadow wide
Turn the world around
with love and peace
Sapple as a Jamaican Calypso
you rode the island Sun
and gave your generational heart
An Aladdin's legacy of activism
of civil rights with Martin King
and the antithesis of Bush and Trump
Wisdom as cultured Wine
Categories:
belafonte, appreciation,
Form: Free verse
Harold George Belanfante Jr.
1927 – 2023
Harry Belafonte: Singer, actor and unshakeable civil rights activist
Categories:
belafonte, celebrity, eulogy,
Form: Elegy
What in the world is the Tolly-Bon?
Related, perchance to a woke, unicorn?
Belafonte used the word Tally Man.
Biden constantly chirps,”C’mon, Man!
The Queen’s English, he does not speak,
Neither, a mouse going, squeak,squeak!
In England, he should have remained.
Biden-English is sorely maimed!
11/20/2021
Categories:
belafonte, adventure, fun, humorous,
Form: Couplet
Some say when
daffodils shoot up
Spring is here.
It’s safe to put away
your boots and shovels.
Maybe somewhere
but not where I live.
I’ve seen daffodils
on Monday peeking
out of snow on Tuesday
giving me a wink as if to say
we fooled you, didn’t we.
And I say yes you did!
When it comes to Spring
I know it’s here when I see
what I saw this morning
long before the dawn.
The first moth
happy and delirious
dancing to calypso
all around the porch light
waiting for his friends to come
and shout hurrah for Spring
and Harry Belafonte.
Donal Mahoney
Categories:
belafonte, spring,
Form: Blank verse
This Day and Time
Was listening to Bernie and hearing
songs being sung by Harry Belafonte.
So sentimental his songs seemed to me
When were heard what I wanted to be
My Savior close and near from now on
And did find His face in each new dawn.
What about both Belafonte and Bernie
In island of sun while going on a journey
Taken to see new dawn and setting sun
From time immemorial where it had begun.
Long ago sang song that was to be his last
Now each one of them are living in the past
Had forgotten things that once were realistic
Now dreaming about world that is idealistic.
What was said in long ago bygone days
They had been immersed with much praise
Thought that they were divine and sublime
And now must live in this era, day and time.
James Serious Mysterious Horn
Retired Veteran, Poet and Soothsayer
Categories:
belafonte, allegory, analogy, , memorial,
Form: Couplet