A Few More Thoughts About The Kennedy Boys

My friend Billy sent me an email today. It was a kind and gentle reminder that I've been neglecting my blogging. He's right of course, I haven't posted recently. His email and the fact that someone even bothered to notice my absence was perhaps just the inspiration and motivation I needed.
"Haven’t heard from you in days!", Billy wrote, "You haven’t updated your Ted Kennedy blog yet. His death was a real blow, even though it was expected, it really was the end of an era, an empire, an age of optimism and naïveté."

- Yes indeed it was Billy, indeed it really was. The end of an era and the loss of innocence. Or did we still have innocence left to lose?


Forgive me please, but once again - I do feel so inclined
to express some thoughts in meter and of course, in rhyme.

Was our Innocence ours to lose, or was it long since gone
way back when we first lost Bobby and Dear Brother John?

I don't know why it is and I don't know how to explain,
but ever since then, nothing seems to be quite the same.

Have I just gotten cynical, grouchy, cantankerous and old,
or is something palpable happening, that really needs to be told.

It was to a hopeful generation that the torch had been passed,
but what happened to our optimism? - Why didn't it last?

The "Edmundian" Forensics were my High School Forté,
when I wrote and delivered speeches that I remember 'til this day.

The competition was fierce - Oratory and Debate.
My pinnacle achievement - First Place in New York State.

"The Prospects For My Generation" is what I then spoke of,
So full of Piss and Vinegar; and Peace and Hope and Love!

Is it just my imagination and fond memories that persuade,
or were the sixties truly special and a uniquely confident decade.

We went to the Moon on July 20th, nineteen sixty nine,
but it wasn't Alice Kramden's foot that stepped out so sublime.

An Astronaut named Armstrong, fulfilled the Kennedy Pledge,
and it was his "Giant Leap for Mankind" that then gave us the edge.

Anything seemed possible and perhaps it truly was,
we seemed to work together and have a common cause.

Yes we had some hard times and we often disagreed

but we cared about each other and one another's needs.

So we created Medicare and then even Medicaid

it truly was remarkable, a benevolent decade.

The Kennedy's believed that health care was Not a privilege but a right,

so Ted diligently pursued this - working hard both day and night.

Now that they've all left us, does not their legacy implore,

that we find a way to do this - and give a little more.

Limbaugh, Beck and O'Reilly would surely disagree

but Limbaugh, Beck and Bill O' don't care about you and me.

Greed has taken over, you see it everywhere

let's all look out for # 1 and never, ever share.

You say that it's the deficit and we simply can't afford

but one way or another - we can always afford a War.

Maybe it's time we got our priorities in order people.

Just Thinking...

Please feel free to comment below or you can email me at eddieoreilly@hotmail.com and your comment will be posted.

Thanks For Reading!