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

Friday the 13th!

Let's consider, if you will
How a certain date and weekday will
If put together - create fear
This can happen several times a year...

This combination, who knows why
Is a portent of the evil eye
Strong characters on this day were born
With personalities “hors normes”:

Fidel Castro - fiery and intense
Alfred Hitchcock - Master of suspense
Samuel Beckett - playwright en français
Why, Rossini died upon this day!

At the Last Supper thirteen guests;
Bible tradition still attests
It was on Friday that Christ died
Reason for bad luck world wide?

Airports have no Gate Thirteen
A 13th floor is rarely seen
In tower block - it can't be sold
Say 13 and your blood runs cold...

So when thirteen on a Friday falls
Many look in crystal balls
They're afraid to venture out, it's true
But I don't fall for this – do you?

(c) Poet in the Woods 2015

Pope Francis and Fidel Castro

The world is in a parlous state
There's so much violence, so much hate
Natural disasters, corporate greed
And insecurity; do we need

To fill our minds with such distress?
When often our lives are a mess...
We discussed this, a dear friend and I
And both agreed that we would try

To look for goodness in our lives
Yes, “thinking positively” survives!
Amid this chaos there is hope
It takes the form of the new Pope*

Whose gentleness and common sense
Break through Cuba's last defence
Castro and Francis have a chat
Now THAT is news – the world steps back!

(c) Poet in the woods 2015

Meeting: 20th September, 2015 Havana with Pope Francis