JOHN-JOHN, A SAD GOODBYE

Who can forget that brave salute,
As he stood by where his father lay.
The world was mourning  so great a loss,
In Arlington, that grim and gray November day.

His Uncle Joe who was killed in war,
Would be the first in the Kennedys’ share of strife
Then our bright young president, so loved by all,
Was taken from us in the prime of life

That sniper’s shot was heard ‘round the world,
And took the one we had chosen to lead us far.
A senseless act , for  what reason we’ll never know,
And our sky was left with one less brilliant star.
 
His Uncle Robert , who wanted so to be
Like his brother John, and lead us all
In search of new horizons   big and bright....
To a  coward’s bullet, he too, did fall.

John-John chose not to follow that familiar trail,
And stood aside from  politics and public life.
Now and again we would catch a glimpse
Of this handsome man with his lovely wife.

So much has happened to this famous clan,
That some say there’s a curse on the family.
But then again, can it possibly be
That our lifestyle determines our destiny.?

A flight at night , a mistake perhaps,
But three lives were lost in that swirling sea.
And the promise of a new and brighter Camelot,
Is now but a dream that we will never be.

Some say the time and effort to find these three
Was  far too much, because the chance was slim.
I would not expect that to be done for me.
But I am very glad that it was done for him. 

A life lived to the fullest, is wasted not.
And John-John lived his to the nth degree.
Now we’ll never know what he could have been,
But we will always cherish the memory.


Frank J. Montoya
July 1999