Poem for a playwright, Howard Zinn.
Long, the people’s historian
Who taught and learned life’s lessons,
Struggle, resistance, joy and pain,
With impish smile and love of life,
Fed with knowledge and art.
From warrior for empire,
He graduated to word warrior for the people,
Playwright for the poor,
Activist, mentor
And for many,
Howie and best friend.
As youth, he flew higher than eagles
Raining death anonymous
On Germans and French.
Though uninjured in flesh,
The mind burned when free,
His mind burnt anew with history’s light
Flying even higher,
Teaching history to the people.
Once Empire servant,
Now and forever,
Anti-imperialist, anti-war,
Pro-people and pro-peace.
Rest well, Howie.
Rest in peace, friend.
These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio.
