(January 17,1942 – June 3, 2016)
—
He floated like a butterfly;
…He stung them like a bee;
Self-proclaimed the greatest – and
…He was! Muhammad Ali.
He was the brashest Cassius,
…Yet measured to his mouth.
He fought the best available,
…And they all tumbled south.
He prophesied the very round
…That he’d be conquering.
His oracle was poetry;
…He – prophet, poet, king.
He took the crown from Liston,
…And later, Smokin’ Joe.
And people all revered him
…Wherever he would go.
He would not fight in battle;
…They made his boxing cease.
But in the end, he wore the crown
…Ambassador of peace.
And thus, today, the talk’s of him
…For he has passed away.
A great among the mortals, he
…Was also made of Clay.
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© Dennis Lange and thebardonthehill.wordpress.com, 2016.
The Bard on the Hill 