Fidel - at Ninety!

Some make it to the history books:
Warriors, Royals, Athletes, Crooks
For some specific action done;
But to mark an era there is one

Whose dramatic rise to fame
Is always linked to his first name.
Not Adolf, though the point is moot,
Or Haiti* with “Tonton Macoute”.

But a man who celebrates today
Ninety years; though frail and grey
Fidel Castro still lives on
Although his glory days are gone.

We recall his meteoritic rise
To power in Cuba – where he tries
With missiles the U.S. to thwart
Nail-biting Kennedy – distraught...

But times have changed; the way is free
From Cold War restraints, when he
With Russian backing stood alone,
And we trembled on the brink – unknown...

(c) Poet in the woods 2016

Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz born August 13th, 1926.
Died 25th November, 2016

*François "Papa Doc" Duvalier