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In reply to the discussion: In memoriam: President John F. Kennedy [View all]triplepoint
(431 posts)89. Ignorance is everywhere & people have their way...
Last edited Fri Nov 23, 2012, 04:13 AM - Edit history (5)
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And the night comes again to the circle studded sky
The stars settle slowly, in loneliness they lie
'Till the universe explodes as a falling star is raised
Planets are paralyzed, mountains are amazed
But they all glow brighter from the brilliance of the blaze
With the speed of insanity, then he dies.
In the green fields a turnin', a baby is born
His cries crease the wind and mingle with the morn
An assault upon the order, the changing of the guard
Chosen for a challenge that is hopelessly hard
And the only single sound is the sighing of the stars
But to the silence and distance they are sworn
So dance dance dance
Teach us to be true
Come dance dance dance
'Cause we love you
Images of innocence charge him go on
But the decadence of destiny is looking for a pawn
To a nightmare of knowledge he opens up the gate
And a blinding revelation is laid upon his plate
That beneath the greatest love is a hurricane of hate
And God help the critic of the dawn.
So he stands on the sea and shouts to the shore,
But the louder that he screams the longer he's ignored
For the wine of oblivion is drunk to the dregs
And the merchants of the masses almost have to be begged
'Till the giant is aware, someone's pulling at his leg,
And someone is tapping at the door.
To dance dance dance
Teach us to be true
Come dance dance dance
'Cause we love you
Then his message gathers meaning and it spreads across the land
The rewarding of his pain is the following of the man
But ignorance is everywhere and people have their way
Success is an enemy to the losers of the day
In the shadows of the churches, who knows what they pray
For blood is the language of the band.
The Spanish bulls are beaten; the crowd is soon beguiled,
The matador is beautiful, a symphony of style
Excitement is ecstatic, passion places bets
Gracefully he bows to ovations that he gets
But the hands that are applauding are slippery with sweat
And saliva is falling from their smiles
So dance dance dance
Teach us to be true
Come dance dance dance
'Cause we love you
Then this overflow of life is crushed into a liar
The gentle soul is ripped apart and tossed into the fire.
First a smile of rejection at the nearness of the night
Truth becomes a tragedy limping from the light
All the (canons|heavens) are horrified, they stagger from the sight
As the cross is trembling with desire.
They say they can't believe it, it's a sacrilegious shame
Now, who would want to hurt such a hero of the game?
But you know I predicted it; I knew he had to fall
How did it happen? I hope his suffering was small.
Tell me every detail, I've got to know it all,
And do you have a picture of the pain?
So dance dance dance
Teach us to be true
Come dance dance dance
'Cause we love you
Time takes her toll and the memory fades
but his glory is broken, in the magic that he made.
Reality is ruined; it's the freeing from the fear
The drama is distorted, to what they want to hear
Swimming in their sorrow, in the twisting of a tear
As they wait for a new thrill parade.
The eyes of the rebel have been branded by the blind
To the safety of sterility, the threat has been refined
The child was created to the slaughterhouse he's led
So good to be alive when the eulogy is read
The climax of emotion, the worship of the dead
And the cycle of sacrifice unwinds.
So dance dance dance
Teach us to be true
Come dance dance dance
'Cause we love you
And the night comes again to the circle studded sky
The stars settle slowly, in loneliness they lie
'Till the universe explodes as a falling star is raised
Planets are paralyzed, mountains are amazed
But they all glow brighter from the brilliance of the blaze
With the speed of insanity, then he died.
--Phil Ochs, Crucifixion
Note:
Phil said that he wrote this song about JFK and "hero killing in general". He later said that it was about Christ, RFK, JFK, and MLK Jr.
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Abe Lincoln might give JFK a run for his money, at least for working people
coalition_unwilling
Nov 2012
#54
I was in Mrs. Kloster's English class when we heard the news. I'll never forget;
libinnyandia
Nov 2012
#6
I shook his hand in 1960 when he was running for President. It's hard to tell how proud
byeya
Nov 2012
#7
JFK was the first president that I actually remember in my lifetime, so in my eyes, nobody else
We People
Nov 2012
#8
I listened to the AM-format song (short version) over and over that summer. Then
coalition_unwilling
Nov 2012
#63
Friday. I was all dressed up for my senior pictures after school. And a play in the city.
aquart
Nov 2012
#93
Essential reading: "JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters,"
Peace Patriot
Nov 2012
#86
I, too, was a freshman in college that day. Buildings full of peole were silent while we watched TV
SharonAnn
Nov 2012
#26
I was in english class--and I remember staring at the pa box in shock--certain that another student
niyad
Nov 2012
#52
We might have seen actual nuclear disarmament following JFK's likely re-election - n/t
coalition_unwilling
Nov 2012
#58
I was in my 7th grade class in St. Petersburg, FL when the announcement was made....
OldDem2012
Nov 2012
#59
Thanks for sharing that. Some of my 7th grade class began cheering too. This was in lower SC. nt
raccoon
Nov 2012
#98
This thread has made me realize again how thankful I am for my elders on DU. I was just
coalition_unwilling
Nov 2012
#61
Thanks ailsagirl. JFK's murder became the dividing line in the lives of a generation. I was 15.
Zen Democrat
Nov 2012
#82
Highly recommended: "JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters,"
Peace Patriot
Nov 2012
#87