{"id":5738,"date":"2024-08-01T05:30:38","date_gmt":"2024-08-01T09:30:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/toppun.com\/blog\/?p=5738"},"modified":"2024-08-01T10:12:40","modified_gmt":"2024-08-01T14:12:40","slug":"poem-owed-to-muhammad-ali","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/toppun.com\/blog\/2024\/08\/01\/poem-owed-to-muhammad-ali\/","title":{"rendered":"POEM: Owed to Muhammad Ali"},"content":{"rendered":"

I wrote this poem after watching, again, my favorite documentary of all time: When We Were Kings<\/a>. This film is about the leadup and spectacle that is known as the “Rumble in the Jungle” in Zaire, the heavyweight boxing title fight between Muhammad Ali and the then-reigning champion, George Foreman. The incomparable Ali — The Greatest — makes his against-the-odds comeback with all the charisma, grit, poetry, creativity and purpose that has endeared billions of humans around the globe. This riveting film is masterful storytelling and filmmaking at its best.<\/p>\n

This poem employs one small exemplar of Muhammad Ali’s place in human history: the author of the shortest poem in the English language — “Me. We.” He was a poet in and out of the ring. I count him as one of my favorite public figures of all time. Ali was deeply human, profoundly reverent and irreverent, and he shared awe of himself with wee.<\/p>\n

Owed to Muhammad Ali<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Me wee
\nHe had me
\nA heavyweight at the met
\nIt was like
\nThe first time
\nI saw
\nMuhammad
\nA prophet with punch
\nA transcendent combination
\nA champion of Olympic portions
\nBesting feat of Clay
\nAn eye on the prize fighter
\nAs ultimately pro
\nKnot a willing con script
\nAgin and agin
\nJust the same
\nThe champ
\nWon ring
\nTo rule them
\nAwe!
\nA poet in and out
\nLarger than life
\nKnowing the master
\nOf solemnity
\nAnd living
\nIn bombasticity
\nA dance party
\nWords
\nEverything
\nBut the kitsch succinct
\n\u201cMe. We\u201d
\nNever alone in the ring
\nBesting every faux
\nHis heart beats
\nTo a different conundrum
\nHis religion
\nPeace<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I wrote this poem after watching, again, my favorite documentary of all time: When We Were Kings. This film is about the leadup and spectacle that is known as the “Rumble in the Jungle” in Zaire, the heavyweight boxing title … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32,57,9,15],"tags":[294,335,386,431,559,359,291,94,567,83,529,547],"class_list":["post-5738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-about-top-pun","category-peace","category-poems","category-political-and-philosophical-musings","tag-awe","tag-conundrum","tag-creativity","tag-heart","tag-history","tag-life","tag-poet","tag-poetry","tag-prophet","tag-religion","tag-time","tag-transcendent"],"yoast_head":"\nPOEM: Owed to Muhammad Ali | About Top Pun, Peace, Poems, Political and Philosophical Musings | Top Pun's Poetry, Funny Puns, Free Posters, Public Health Radio Show! %<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"POEM: Owed to Muhammad Ali, About Top Pun, Peace, Poems, Political and Philosophical Musings, Awe, Conundrum, Creativity, Heart, History, Life, Poet, Poetry, Prophet, Religion, Time, Transcendent Top Pun's Poetry, Funny Puns, Free Posters, Public Health Radio Show! 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