A NARRATIVE OF NOT'S, AN "ODE" TO REPLACE AN OBITUARY

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MARK THIS EVENT! BEING REMEMBERED IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS HAVING AN IMPACT. WHATEVER WE LEAVE BEHIND IS NOT OURS ANYMORE. LEAVING A LEGACY AND KNOWING THAT IT MATTERS SUPERCEDES KNOWING WE'RE REMEMBERED. WHEN WE INTERACT WITH ONE ANOTHER AS IMPERFECT BEINGS SOMETIMES THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR FAULTS AND SHORTCOMINGS CAN OVERSHaDOW OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. IN "OUR MOMENTS," WE MAY NOT BE WHAT OR WHO WE WANT TO BE. AFTER "OUR MOMENT" HAS EXPIRED OR PASSED, WHAT AND WHO WE WERE IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS WE THINK. "A SINGLE GOOD MEMORY CAN ERASE YEARS OF BAD ONES." THERE ARE WAYS TO GIVE PERFECT TOASTS AND/OR MARK TRIBUTES TO OUR IMPERFECT FELLOWS. SOMETIMES IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO FIND THE WORDS THAT DEPICT OR DESCRIBE OUR LOVED ONES IN A COMPLIMENTERY FASHION WITHOUT COMPROMISING TRUTH. RATHER THEN BECOMIG DISINGENUOUS OR HYPROCRITICAL WE CAN BE TACTFULLY TRUTHFUL. THERE CAN BE JUST AS MUCH CONSOLATION FROM CELEBRATING THE TRAPS WE'VE DODGED AND THE PITFALLS WE'VE AVOIDED AS IN THE TRIUMPHS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS WE'VE ACHIEVED. IN MANY CASES JUST MAINTAING A LIFE THAT MINIMIZES BONDAGE OR PERSECUTION REPRESENTS VICTORIOUS LIVING FOR MANY OF US. BY SURVIVING EACH AND EVERY PERIL THAT WE DID NOT SUCCUMB TO, EASILY ECLIPSES ANY OF OUR DOWNFALLS, FAILURES OR SHORTCOMINGS. FINDING BOTH EXECELLENCE AND DEFICIENCIES ARE EASY TO DO WHEN WE LOOK HARD ENOUGH. WHAT WE ARE OR ARE NOT FOLLOWS THIS THEME, "BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD THERE GO i." THIS EXPRESSES AN ATTITUDE OF APPRECIATION AND HUMILITY. MEMORIES FADE, BUT LEGACIES HAVE A LIFE OF THEIR OWN THAT LIVE ON. WE'D RATHER LEAVE A MARK THAN A MEMORY. A MARK CAN LEAVE A SCAR OR BRANDISH A TATOO. A MEMORY CAN FADE AND BE FORGOTTEN. WE NEED TO LEAVE OUR MARK(S). THIS IS AN ODE AND A TRIBUTE BOTH TO THE LEGACY AND TO "PLEASANT TIMES" OF MEMORIES IT FOSTERS.

the strophe, the antistrophe, and the epode

He was tall dark & handsome
And to some he was hot
We knew some of what was
but know more of what's NOT.

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He protected and served
NOT so much with his gun
had no masters or doctors
But he sure wasn't dumb

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As he travelled the world
it was never in vain
had he NOT settled here
he'd be living in Spain.

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​A MAN IN THE STRUGGLE
A BLACK FOSTER CHILD
A  PRODUCT OF SOCIETY
WHO COULD HAVE RUN WILD
VICTIMIZED BY HIS COLOR
THE RESULT OF HIS "RACE"
A MAN FAR FROM PERFECT
AND A PRODUCT OF GRACE.

 Sum fussin & Sum discussin

He was NOT the best dressed
but was always well groomed
and you knew he was there
​if he stepped in the room.

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​He tried fighting for country
and got somewhat offended
he could NOT get in the fight
​he was late, the war ended.

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He was NOT a sore loser
though he hated to lose
He enjoyed life's collations
​with the finest of booze.

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A MAN IN THE STRUGGLE
A BLACK FOSTER CHILD
A  PRODUCT OF SOCIETY
WHO COULD HAVE RUN WILD
VICTIMIZED BY HIS COLOR
THE RESULT OF HIS "RACE"
A MAN FAR FROM PERFECT
BUT A PRODUCT OF GRACE.

Sum Cussin, fussin & discussin

Though he was NOT religious
He was NOT left alone
God did speak to his spirit
Saying "BUSTER GO HOME!"

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His trials and his triumphs
achievements and regrets
to keep pace with his children
he put down cigarettes.

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He beat that nicotine spirit
"took no more of it's shit."
It was NOT a long battle
On "that" day he just quit.

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​A MAN IN THE STRUGGLE
A BLACK FOSTER CHILD
A  PRODUCT OF SOCIETY
WHO COULD HAVE RUN WILD
VICTIMIZED BY HIS COLOR
THE RESULT OF HIS "RACE"
A MAN FAR FROM PERFECT
NOW A PRODUCT OF GRACE.

Sum fussin & discussin

Yes he could hold a grudge
was quite slow to forgive
NOT a borrower or lender
It's the way that he lived.

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And he loved all his children
but spoil them he would NOT
With direction or protection
he was "Johnny on the spot."

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He grew up in oppression
the skin tone of his birth
that could NOT defined him
yes the man knew his worth.

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Sum fussin & discussin

​A MAN IN THE STRUGGLE
A BLACK FOSTER CHILD
A  PRODUCT OF SOCIETY
WHO COULD HAVE RUN WILD
VICTIMIZED BY HIS COLOR
THE RESULT OF HIS "RACE"
A MAN FAR FROM PERFECT
STILL A PRODUCT OF GRACE.

Our final refrain

As we give accolades
we have no hesitations
for his MARK now remains
so let's have celebration.

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He left us a mandate
to eat, drink, laugh & be.
and rejoice at his mention
and his bi-o-gr-a-p-h-y.

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As we follow his motto
"Play, enjoy, take a chance
live your life while you can
Don't sit out, let's all dance."

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