Dallas Doesn't Love You

"I am the man," the President said,

"who accompanies Mrs. Kennedy.."

Good weather, top down

the glossy black Lincoln

Continental and new

paint as fresh

as freshly-sliced flesh

shiny as a hearse

that's never been used.

Motorcade glamour

flashing lights and badges

head-snap, skull-flap

Zapruder-red flowers

and blood

on the limousine floor.

"Mr. President, you can't

say Dallas doesn't love you"

the Governor's wife said

then her yellow flowers splashed

with the President's head.

Mrs. Kennedy, so cute

in her pink Chanel suit

white gloves, pillbox hat

(it was hard to match that)

she's 'the look' of '63

soon to be retired

and she glows as she goes

where photographers shoot

but bullets will be fired

today's fashion smeared

and eras frontiered

the sands running out

as the crowds waved and cheered.

To die is to cast

big speeches to the past

and to lie at the last

in states disunited

Ask not what your country can do for you

say goodbye to your life,

your wife, and this land

"They have killed my husband.

I have his brains in my hand."

Reviews

[Shante Payne]

Omigod wow! First words that came to my mind when I finished this. This poem is full of imagery that feeds the imagination. Moreover, I love little bit "To die is to cast
big speeches to the past
and to lie at the last
in states disunited
Ask not what your country can do for you
say goodbye to your life,
your wife, and this land
"They have killed my husband.
I have his brains in my hand.""

Love Love Love it.

ps. great insight on Kennedy's assasination and the truth behind it.

[imawriter]

I remember seeing this on Tv when I was a kid. Didn't matter that my mama said Kennedy was bad. It was very very sad for Mrs. K. and those poor little children with no daddy---and it still makes me cry.

[Lilly]

Wow - such a vivid and striking piece in so many ways - very well written also.
Really great work

[M.Kilani]

Great piece .. well done

[lavina k.]

Great and an amazing one.

"They have killed my husband.
I have his brains in my hand."

I Just loved this line, it speaks a lot....
Thank you!!!

[My Fair Lady]

Well done.

[.]

I was going to swear but stopped myself. Gosh that is hardhitting, graphic, poignant..it's well..your a master of the craft..amazing..RIP JFK.

[Ry]

Such a creative title and such a creative poem! I've never known much about Kennedy other than that he was shot as he rode in a car next to his wife. I've always felt sorry for his wife, my grief doubling as I imagine what she must have seen and how she must have felt. It's unfathomable. Great poem! -Eli

[Marie Harrison]

Oh...this made me wince with discomfort. It's an extremely sharp and focused view of the account that fateful day in American history. Growing up miles from Dallas, we visited whenever curious relatives wished to see the blessed site of the gruesome incident. Very clever and accurate account of American history. Bravo!

[jenniewren (J.W. Bouwma..]

the thing about this that touches me so profoundly? how you've humanised it all.. stripped away the "grassy knoll", plucked out the conspiracy theorists, and showed it for what it was.. a tragedy of a very human level..

your phrasing is just perfection, and really, completely broke my heart with the imagery of Camelot lost..

[Alicante lullaby]

Kennedy still is a fascination..i remember visiting Benazir's mausoleum and well,its a 3rd world wid lot of personality worship so ppl consider her goddess..many stay at her grave day and night..that night,i asked an uncle of mine about Kennedy's grave (who lives in Dallas)..he said the Americans are practicle,they got over him..like brits got over Diana and like we got over Zulfiqar ali bhutto...i love sardonic taste of your writes..a tragedy is a tragedy for a while then people get over it.