Joplin was to Southern Comfort,
what Hendrix was to smack
Morrison was to masquerade,
what Dylan never lacks

Woodstock was to 69,’
what music was to rhyme
Saigon was to those who stayed,
what Auschwitz now reminds

Kennedy was to hopes and dreams,
what nightmares were to some
Castro was to leftist thugs,
what cymbals are to drums

Kissinger was to Nixon
an Appian Way to roam
Dr. King to civil rights,
what kings are to their thrones

Walter Cronkite was to news,
what context was to fact
Altar boys were to their Priests,
what pretzels are to snacks

58,000 were to die,
what a wall was to proclaim
58,000 were to all
—what conscience is to shame

(Villanova Pennsylvania: March, 2017)