image courtesy of Google
Champion of the right of men
to dignity and freedom, when
his evil enemies prevailed,
imprisoned him, his work reviled.
Captive for so many years
his people mourned with bitter tears.
Around the world opinion sweetened,
wicked autocrats were beaten
the will for justice overcame ─
their hero freed to start again,
to fight for right, to reappear,
enjoy his people’s happy cheers.
He steered his people through the storm,
lived long successful years, performed
feats of reconciliation,
merited the adulation.
When at last his end was near,
his people mourned with grateful tears.
This was written for two prompts – at dVerse yesterday they asked us to write about or in the persona of a human sculpture. And as I’m a sucker for an interesting form, I leapt at the chance to experiment with the Collins Sestet as described in detail at Poetic Bloomings. This form is usually written in heroic couplets which I thought would be appropriate for my subject. I found it much harder than I expected.
Vivinfrance's Blog 
Loved this Viv, how you employed Mandela’s purpose as your core in the repeating phrase but with varying responses from “his people.”
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Well done.
I am reminded again by this photo, as when I took some, that it is a great pity they didn’t acquire the land to put the sculpture on the other side of the road and railway line. It calls for a backdrop of grass and trees and hills only – imagine if those poles and cables and wires and barriers weren’t there …
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I agree
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love how you’ve used both the form and the content to honor this great man…the last two lines are stellar…
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Stunning tribute, Viv 🙂
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Wonderful use of the form, Viv. It was something I had been looking at for a bit. And your poem truly does honor the man and his mission. In spite of struggling with the Collins Sestet, I’d say you mastered the heroic aspect quite nicely!
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It is indeed a beautiful tribute to Mandela. I especially love these last two lines, “When at last his end was near, his people mourned with grateful tears.” ❤ And thank you for sharing the form, too! I'm a sucker for forms as well. 😀 Beautifully penned, Viv!
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A lovely tribute to a great man. And kudos to a challenging form Viv, one that I have check out.
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Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika. They were lucky to have him. I wish we had someone like him now to resolve the ‘ISIS crisis’.
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Oh I do love it… the form look so interesting, and the tribute to Mandela, is great. I so wonder what kind of a man he might have been up close… that he could come out with an attitude to look forward and not backward…. the world needs more like him
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Amen.
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Having trouble with my internet connection — replied then shut down 😦 Second time may be the charm.
This is a wonderful tribute to Mandela. Perhaps it is the voice of the sculptor — many years later understanding the value of the man – not just the image – the real person he was.
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What a stunning prompt mashup, Viv. Love it!
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