Senator Edward Moore “Ted” Kennedy

Shook their hands and reached across the aisle

Edward “Ted” Kennedy was versatile

November 7 in 1962

Assigned to the Senate and from there this icon grew

Tragedy came to his brothers very early

Oswald shot and killed JFK then Sirhan shot and killed Bobby

Remorse clouded Ted’s good judgment they say, over these 5 years

Emotions overcame Ted and little could dry his tears

Driving from a party in ‘69 his car broke a bridge

When it overturned in the water, he escaped and fled to a ridge

Abandoning the accident where his passenger had drown

Reported his guilt of fleeing and accepted the mandate of the crown

Darkness plagued Ted and he needed great light

Mounded himself into work and there shone bright

Over the next four decades his records would show

One man who became an icon that both sides will know

Reached out first as a friend to all in the House

Encouraged all other Senators to dispel political grouse

Then get to the root of the problems before they decide

Even chose to stand in the way before them, if tempers will collide

Decades of work, he wrote over 300 bills

Kept busy, they called him “The Lion Of The Senate,” for his skills

Enormous contributions he made to affect all Americans’ lives

No other Senator has done more, I hope his legacy survives

Not through his name alone but the differences he laid

Equality, Civil Rights, universal health care and immigration aid

Dogs were his passion, sailing, fishing and saying “You tried!”

Yesterday, before midnight, Senator Edward Moore “Ted” Kennedy, died