JFK's Favorite Poem
"I Have a Rendezvous with Death" by Alan Seeger
This week’s poem is Alan Seeger’s “I Have a Rendezvous with Death.” According to James W. Douglass’ excellent book JFK and the Unspeakable, it was, eerily, the assassinated president’s favorite bit of verse. Press play above for my dramatic reading and follow along below if you like:
I have a rendezvous with Death At some disputed barricade, When Spring comes back with rustling shade And apple-blossoms fill the air— I have a rendezvous with Death When Spring brings back blue days and fair. It may be he shall take my hand And lead me into his dark land And close my eyes and quench my breath— It may be I shall pass him still. I have a rendezvous with Death On some scarred slope of battered hill, When Spring comes round again this year And the first meadow-flowers appear. God knows 'twere better to be deep Pillowed in silk and scented down, Where Love throbs out in blissful sleep, Pulse nigh to pulse, and breath to breath, Where hushed awakenings are dear ... But I've a rendezvous with Death At midnight in some flaming town, When Spring trips north again this year, And I to my pledged word am true, I shall not fail that rendezvous.
I started playing around with the video effects editor on my phone and before you could say “Allen Dulles” I had made more variations on the above than I knew what to do with. I submit them here for your consideration:
Which one do you like best (or least)?
I also uploaded a version featuring the Zapruder film, but the ever-censorious YouTube has already age-restricted it:
I guess Google be like:
