JBKOde

A Sonnet. Written fifteen years ago upon learning of the death of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

JBKOde

She whom I never met nor knew
(Although she made me feel I did;
Although I dearly wish I had),
Has escaped this small milieu

And gone to conquer worlds anew
Nor will that world be as soon rid
Of She in whom our hopes were hid;
My heart thumps out a terse tattoo

Not unlike that to which Blackjack* trod,
These thirty years ago and one.

Our Jackie's gone to meet her God:
The Editor** to the Author run!

We mortals must now onward plod�
'Twould seem our dream of Camelot's done!

1994

Author's Note

*Blackjack, in addition to being the nickname of JFK's grandfather, was the name of his favorite horse, who was beside Kennedy's caisson in November, 1963, with Kennedy's boots reversed in the stirrups.
**Jackie, after largely withdrawing from public life, worked as a senior editor for Doubleday in her latter years.

Reviews

[David Lewis Paget]

Our individual viewpoint regarding celebs like Jackie O relates as much to our own nationality as it does theirs. Americans have their idols, Australians ours, and Jackie O was not one of mine, though I must admit a sympathy at the time of the assassination of her first husband. However, her subsequent marriage to the Greek shipping magnate seemed tawdry and self serving, more the action of someone who had surrendered unassailable purity for the sake of unlimited material gain, almost the action of someone who wanted to spend to forget rather than be a beacon for the chivalric left. Just as Guinevere sullied her reputation with Lancelot, so Camelot was forever degraded by Jackie O's mindless attachment to wealth for its own sake.

[Tate Morgan]

I must say i liked her and thought they her family lent grace and beauty to the United States.

[fauxcajun]

Not a great fan of the elite of this world, even our own Mistress of Camelot / Still, that is my thing / Your thing pf the moment is writing a sonnet about someone you obviously cared a great deal about / To that I comend you and honor your efforts with a resounding "Well Done, Sir!" . . .

[An owl on the moon]

Thank you for sharing this moving piece, Mark, and for the additional insights into Jackie's life. Your words bring her grace alive here for us. Beautiful and tender dedication.

[Sheila Kline]

A loving and beautiful tribute to a lady of grace and elegance! I greatly admired her!
Well done my friend!!...and thank you for the additional information about "Blackjack", as I have learned something new!

[Ellen Hammond]

A lovely sonnet and beautiful tribute to JKO, my friend. I love reading your poems as I not only enjoy the read but get a refresher course and/or learn something new about form and structure. Keeps us old folks on our toes. lol

[bob, small b. aka invs]

this is a very nice tribute. although i wasn't a great fan of jackie, she certainly was an icon. perfect for her position in her time. classy, beautiful and smart. well done.

[Babbette Francis]

When I think of her, I think of how graceful, caring and kind she was - not to mention beautiful in many ways, not just physically but in everything she did, she did it beautifully, handled with care.

What a wonderful, beautiful Tribute!