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Simon Bolivar

by  James Graham

Posted: Thursday, April 4, 2013
Word Count: 124
Summary: Another historical subject. I hope the poem gives a clear picture without needing too much background. This is a first draft, so criticise!
Related Works: Redemption • 



Simon Bolívar

His battles are best not told
in a poem. We’ve grown out
of Homer. Like Agamemnon
he sent men to their deaths.

At the expense of blood
he scoured away the last conquistadors,
herders of slave-miners, pilferers
of Inca gold.

But he did better: a refusal
fit for modern epic. Called Liberator,
welcomed in Lima, Bogotá, Caracas
with flowers and songs, he was offered
(for the taking) that jackpot prize
the ravenous eyes of power-men covet:

Dictator. He reflected,
and refused. Giving
the following reason:

You cannot make a just society
with instruments of repression.
It must be done by talking, voting,
thinking: the long hard way.
However much is left undone
when we are old, we must bequeath.

Let us begin.