President Kennedy Poems

climbing into motorcade

light pink suit
splatters of blood 
secret service men climbing into motorcade
Dallas Texas
November 22, 1963
some of us will never be the same

The Day the Country Died

The Day the Country Died

November 22, 1963
three pm e.s.t
fifth grade 
pa speaker clicks on
“today, at one pm c.s.t
President Kennedy shot
he is dead”
our young substitute teacher
gasps then starts to cry
we are silent
school is dismissed early
buses home, no one speaks
our country has changed

November 21, 1963

 November 21, 1963                                                                             

He took the harmonica 
from the bib pocket of his overalls
blew thru left to right, low to high 
back and forth a couple times, 
slapped it on his palm 
like he’d tamp his cigarette,
one of those unfiltered Camels
on his dulled dented Zippo.

He blew a quick riff up the scale, 
inhaled it back down, 
spun his harmonica around
slapped it a couple more times, 
stopped as if thinking 
about what he’d play 
then smile that smile he’d smile 
while looking at her, 
start in on The Tennessee Waltz 
watching her stand up, close her eyes, 
hug herself and sway.

As he played he moved to her side
wrapping his left arm around her waist, 
she draped both arms on his shoulders
and they glided around the living room 
in a world of their own 
viewed by us six kids,
all of us grinning and smirking 
and making kissy faces 
watching mom and dad, 
mom singing the words 
motioning us all up to dance 
that night we stayed up late
that night before 
president Kennedy was killed.

The Assassination

Assassination of President Kennedy 

The tank ship was on the way to Kingston in Jamaica
The sea was deep blue, the weather calm, In a few hours, we could stretch our legs and have a beer because the ship was dry, the charter in Houston, Texas, had insisted on this.
The radio operator came down and said “Kennedy had been shot and killed.”
There were shocked voices, was it true?
We all looked up to the president he, like us young and represented, the future and
 now taken away.
Of course, we blamed the Russians
until news came and said the assassin was an American.
He Kennedy had stood up to Khrushchev and told him to leave Cuba.
Later, some of us understood that Mr. Khrushchev had saved
Kennedy and his hint of using nuclear force, what would he have done if Russia had not yielded?
We loved Kennedy, we saw him as a harbinger of better times when world leaders could talk and find peace.
I was young at the time and it was a good time to be young
Years later, I saw Walter Concrete in a recording announcing Kennedy's death, and he said it all.

1960 To 1969

I am John F. Kennedy as 
President. 
   I am a civil right activist 
100 percent. 

   I am Woodstock rock n 
Roll festival. 
   I am the first man on the moon 
Unforgettable. 

   I am Andy Warhol 15 minutes 
Of fame. 
   I am Martin Luther King shot 
Down in flames. 

   I am President Kennedy gets 
Assassinated. 
   I am the Cuba missile crisis 
Activated. 

   I am Walmart opens it's  
Door. 
   I am we enter Vietnam 
War. 

   I am the Beatles I want to  
Hold your hand. 
   I am discrimination spreads 
Through the land. 

   I am the NFL's first Super 
Bowl. 
   I am Ceasar Chavez reaching 
His goal. 

   I am the Peace Corp  
Uncovered. 
   I am Miranda rights 
Discovered. 

   I am Motown records 
With Shop around. 
   I am the Beach Boys 
With a surf sound. 

   I am at the Apollo with 
Marvin Gaye. 
   I am Del Shannon singing 
Runaway. 

   I am a hit with, Please 
Mr. Postman. 
   I am Sgt Pepper's lonely 
Heart club band. 


    TURBO1904

President Kennedy

I was only four when you died
                      My mama screamed, and then she cried
                 It was on our tv set, tears fall as I remember yet
                       My daddy rushed in early from work
                          And threw his jacket with a jerk
                             I never saw my daddy cry
                           I did then, and you were why

                           I cried for pretty Jaqueline
                               John Jr, little Caroline
                           I cried for me, I loved you so
                            Our President, a young hero
                    My boy dolls were all then named John
                     My little part so your name lived on
                      My favorite doll was named Jackie
                   Nearly sixty years, she's still with me
                      You're still loved, and I must say
                          You're still my top pick J.F.K

John F and Jacqueline Kennedy Fairy Tale Camelot

35th President John F. Kennedy
Somehow developed major enemies
Their seemingly styled Camelot
Dissolved when extramarital affairs were caught

His wife the graceful Jacqueline Kennedy
Drew Americans in to total empathy
When her love was killed that day
But both of them had affairs to play   

There is no perfect rhyme for Kennedy but I went ahead with that one anyway.
The title line would not let me use apostrophe or a period in it. LOL

I have read that President Kennedy had many affairs but I do not know that for a fact and also Mrs. Kennedy had affairs as well so I have read. They say don't spread gossip but it is written in books. 

Written: January 13, 2019
For the contest:
Sponsor: Carolyn Devonshire

Building a Wall

I'm writing this poem in the last days of 2018. The government of the United States is shut down in a fight over the building of a border wall. I am reminded of another border wall that was erected during my lifetime.

In 1961, East Germany built a wall
Of concrete, barbed wire, and steel
Ninety-six miles around East Berlin
At the cost of a bit less than four million dollars
And a bit more than 200 lives.
Intended to stem the flood of East Germans
Seeking freedom to prosper in the West.

A young and inexperienced President Kennedy
Didn't comprehend why East Germany
Needed a concrete wall
When it already had
An Iron Curtain.

In 1989 the Berlin wall was torn down in a frenzy
Of sledge hammers and bulldozers.
Only remnants of it now remain - mostly in museums.
East Germans celebrated and rebuilt their lives.
The reunited Germany flourished
And joined other nations in a united European future.

Why do we think that our wall will have a different legacy?

Peace Dove

Peace dove
Bay of Pigs
Childhood nightmare
President Kennedy
Peace dove

Peace dove
Viet Nam
Terror of Youth
Made 1960’s sad
Peace dove

Peace dove
The Gulf War
My daughter’s turn
In charge of deployment
Peace Dove

President Kennedy

President Kennedy 

50 years ago, how young we were I was on a happy 
Little ship that had crew enough so no one got overworked
The ship ploughing blue water on her way to Jamaica,
It was a wonderful day and after the Cuba crisis, we felt at ease.
The peace was shattered through a crackling radio came 
the message, President Kennedy has been shot.
It was like losing a brother, he was our generation he was
different from the other old men, he was the future our hope.
The work and voyage continued, but there was no laughter.
We tended to be pro-Americans back then, this has changed
As we read more and understand politics. 
Ok, with this said no other politician has inspired us as Jack did.

American Classics Poem

American Classics Poem

 

Integration is a big thing these days

Freedom buses with foreign strays

Outside representatives were they

Who wanted to take our freedom away.

 

Good old John Bircher's radicals by far

Will cover others with feathers and tar

Then there is the aristocratic DAR

Still trying to fight the Civil Wah.

 

Harry Goldwater with pomp and charm

Quickly throwing up a conservative arm;

Steel strike's happening said in alarm

Raising gas prices will do good not harm.

 

Please don't draft me President Kennedy

Have wonderful wife with children three

Away from them I would have to be

To Lebanon, Mid-East or West Germany.

 

America all full of freedom and liberty

Voice of the people and home of the free

Breeder of corruption and hypocracy

Lets uncover ourselves from the debre.

 

James Thomas Horn, Retired Veteran

Wrote this in early 60's while serving

country in the Air Force.

Fifty Years Ago a Dedication

Fifty Years Ago a Dedication  
It was nice day in the Caribbean Sea I was on 
a small tank ship called “Saphir” a radio message
the president Kennedy had been assassinated.
Deep silence in the mess hall, because he was 
to use a modern vernacular: The Man.
He was the one who could lead us into a bright 
future, he energized us and, our trusted brother; 
and nothing could go wrong on his watch. 
So who was this slayer? The ogre that had killed 
our hero? We were soon to know, a weak chinned 
misfit called Oswald. There has been conspiracy 
 theories aplenty over the years, but I still think 
Oswald acted alone out of envy and dark hatred;
a loser seeking infamy, to prove something only
his dark mind could understand. 
50 years have gone the players are dead or old 
but president Kennedy will forever be a beacon 
of light for us who loved America.

The Pt 109

The movie called, The PT 109
Portrayed the war, and an uncle of mine.
The film was written, and was true at that
For all his shipmates, he would go to bat.

President Kennedy, was in command
My Uncle Lenny, was his right-hand man.
We were at war, with Japan in the past
Hoping it would end, not long would it last.

For dusk had set in, when their boat was hit
Fire had started, in half the boat split.
They gathered their friends, and swam to a shore
They gave their all, till they could give no more. 

Some shipmates were hurt, and needed to eat
Most didn’t have, any shoes on their feet.
Many days went by, and nobody came
Their moods were dampened, they just weren’t the same.

Scared and frightened, it was so hard to cope
Their rescuers came, before losing hope.
Excited and tired, to camp they went
When they recovered, to war they were sent.

Love In Another World

can u imagine the passion of a everlastin love
above, lies all the secrets that 
I never thought of
they will all erupt, soon enough, 
but time can never be luck
I thought of it in my dreams, 
but 4ever did it never become a reality
This love 2 me is all that matters, 
it's a solitary anatomy
I am now feeling better than I'll ever be, 
far better than a calvary
will I ever see love more concupiscent 
than heavens peak, GOD, I know U're testin me, 
A life without love towards another,
I call it a felony thats off beat 
without a melody, Message 101, GOD 
is sendin me, love cant assassinate me, 
no. not like they did President Kennedy
the lack of love from hatin' souls is 
killin' me, but should it be, it's not literally
Im lovin' life, I see it as an island 
full of destiny
Love 4 me is 4ever, I call it my ecstasy

President Kennedy

Sir, its what we can do for our country, yes but Our country
does for us, Presidents Protcol, because of Presidents like
Washington, we sit my a tree in Paradise, the cherry tree,
I can't tell a lie sir, yes its what you sir need for your country
to help all of us.

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