60 Years Ago Today

It’s difficult to convey the impact that learning of JFK’s assassination on Friday, 22nd. November, 1963 in Dallas, Texas had on those of us around at the time. It was a 9/11 moment for the baby boomer generation. I was hitch hiking (for the first time) from university in London back home to Farnsfield and then caught a bus from Newark on which my Aunt Margaret happened to be the conductress. I remember going into a house (hers?) and seeing the then Foreign Secretary, George Brown, being interviewed on TV. I think Private Eye would say that he appeared ‘tired and emotional’. Like the rest of us he had not been preparing for such an event, but his position in the government required him to give a semi-official reaction. The subsequent killing of Lee Harvey Oswald by Jack Ruby who, I think, at a later date ‘died’ in prison all added to the multitude of conspiracy theories that are still a subject for debate to this very day. I felt I should write a 60th. anniversary tribute (below), though it’s rough around the edges and does little justice to the enormity of the aftershocks which rippled round the world.

60 Years Ago Today

Way back in time in the US of A,

60 years ago to the very day,

in Dallas a shot or shots rang out,

echoed round the world, put all in doubt.

So shocked that we remember where we were,

a hard wired memory that we all share.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, JFK,

known as ‘Jack’, charismatic, but feet of clay.

35^th president at 44,

debated Richard Nixon off the floor.

Abroad adored, but at home much less so,

behind the scenes so many things we didn’t know.

The Cuban missile crisis gave us quite a scare.

Brinksmanship with Krushchev, would lead to World War flare?

This was all forgotten when JFK was shot,

his foibles and his dalliances (‘Some Like It Hot’).

Who marked his card? Who made America sob?

Well, brother Bobby was investigating the mob.

Jack’s friendship with Sinatra didn’t save his life

and in that shot (or shots?) Jackie was a widow not a wife.

Conspiracy theories to this day abound.

How many shots were fired from Book Depo’ or ground?

Jack Ruby silenced Oswald – was he lone assassin?

LBJ took over. He was the only one to win.

‘Where were you?’ I hear you ask.

I need a final rhyme.

Hitch hiking home from uni’ for the very first time.