If Camelot is no longer, than what is this steady lion's roar still echoing the chorus of democratic integrity and robust might of the greatest Senator this country will ever know?
With the beautiful Kennedy brothers now all at rest, the high principles, steady hand and well-earned sweat of their life's work will never be lost and never will die. Camelot in its purest essence is still and will always remain.
As Ted Kennedy watches from the heavens, surely to have already secured the best sailing avenues and wind-swept catapulting waves, he knows that his life's undying plea and battle for justice, liberties and humane treatment for all people will continue nearly as seaworthy as when he was alive.
For all us who cry and mourn the Kennedy legacy, the steady unwavering voices and strong-shouldered dashing young men who only would boast only one that would live to see a life's mission and equality evident under his relentless grasp, you must know that Camelot will never truly be gone . . .
As in the lyrics it was told . . .
Camelot! Camelot!
I know it gives a person pause,
But in Camelot, Camelot
Those are the legal laws
The snow may never slush upon the hillside . . .
By nine p.m. the moonlight must appear,
In short, there's simply not
A more congenial spot
For happily-ever-aftering than here
In Camelot . . . .
An idea and dream that is so deeply strong-horsed and king-worthy that has come to fruition cannot so easily be swapped and slain with the last prince. The youngest price who would experience and gallantly fight for a lifetime dug much too divine, carving so deeply into the roots of our Democratic society tand principles hat we simply now must heed it.
Surely it is his brothers who have basked in the depth and spotlight of political history. Those gallant older sons who spoke words that were never heard in quite the same way before and who gave us the America that we so longed and hoped for.
There was John F. Kennedy with his secure smile and thoughtful, serious perched eyes telling a nation, "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world, ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."
And there was Bobby Kennedy, the regal brilliant mind who said, "There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why... I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?"
Ted Kennedy was thought as the younger brother who wasn't as enchanted or driven by his political family's ambition. He seemed a distant fourth to his brothers, the oldest who died in battle during The Second World war, who have been frozen in time for all of us as young, gallant and the closest claim to royalty this country will ever know.
But the Senator shook off criticism and doubts with full breadth of mind, soul and body, and made the dreams, plans and policies come true that his older brothers had promised when they were still alive. In many ways, he spent a lifetime trying to live up to what his brothers set forth in stone.
The election of Barack Obama as president was no accident. Kennedy knew he was the one man who could save the Democratic Party and the country from further economic, social and moral depravity, and he basked in the possibilities of seeing Obama win honestly, while making sure it was a dream that would read true and realized for the American people.
After he gave up any hope to become president in 1980 after losing to Jimmy Carter, he seemed to put any airs of mischief away, rolled up his sleeves and realized that the Kennedy legacy and duty for the people could still have a royal and evident presence.
Each politicians words, tears and stories about the Lion of the senate and last son of Camelot, from a Democrat, Republican or every day citizen who had witnessed the tireless effort of a man who saw no ending of heart, will, drive or mountain too tough or steep to climb, saw him as kind, decent and personally uplifting.
Vice President Joe Biden said through tears that it was Ted Kennedy who convinced him through counsel, prayer and friendship to return to the senate after the tragic deaths of his wife and daughter.
Even I had a warm meeting with the senator at a hospital when my infant daughter had just gone received pen heart surgery. There he was, in the hallway, at the UCLA hospital eight years ago, visiting a relative, as I told him through both tears for my daughter and joy for him how thankful I was for his work. He warmly spoke to me. It was surreal.
It won't be only the iconic and historic legislation he made possible that this country will remember him by; it will be his warm handshakes, genius for diplomacy, fair debate, tireless effort and passion for the working class man and a knowing that when he spoke-- ideas and ideals seemed clearer, more accessible and finally . . . attainable for us all.
Camelot is far from gone. It might not be sparkling as brightly; it might not stream as searing as the magical era of black and white imagery when John and Jackie walked onto the White House lawn with their two children; it might not seem there will ever be speeches given with quite the same perfect sense of understanding and calm; and it might well be true that we will never see the likes of a family like the Kennedys to ever capture our countries heart and integral being in quite the same way.
Camelot! Camelot!
The rain may never fall till after sundown.
By eight, the morning fog must disappear.
In short, there's simply not
A more congenial spot
For happily-ever-aftering than here
In Camelot.
Life may not ever be truly happily ever-aftering for any royal kingdom, community or what we know as the land of the free and the brave.
But if you respect the Kennedy legacy at all, we all must have faith that Camelot is set in stone, not gone because the brothers who gave us all hope and inspiration have passed, but because they cemented for generations to come what it means to roll up one's sleeves and get the work done to make life right and just for us all, no matter one's color, creed, religion or socioeconomic class.
The future will reveal full well the strength of Ted Kennedy's work in the passing of equitable health care reform for all Americans, what he called his life's work.
"And this is the cause of my life, new hope that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American -- north, south, east, west, young, old -- will have decent, quality health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege," Kennedy once said.
Even with terminal brain cancer that he knew was a battle he would not survive, it wasn't himself that he thought about in the last moths--it was health care reform, the concern about who would take his place in the interim so that Democratic principles would soar, even showing up at the Democratic Convention in severe physical pain in support of President Obama, firing his famous passionate speeches for the greater good of us all.
The era of Camelot is only dead if you allow it to be so. And we all know that if the lion of the senate was still on this elaborate earth he would speak until he had no voice left to inspire all of us to carry on the work that is most just and fair, and always with dignity, compassion, sincerity and relenting strength.
In Camelot . . .
The winter is forbidden till December
And exits March the second on the dot
By order, summer lingers through September
In Camelot.
Camelot! Camelot!
If you believe the era of Camelot is over, then so is your right to protest whatever becomes less free of its glow and strength.
But if you believe in the fulfillment of equality and justice that has brought this country so much equality and dare I say, some Magistry of legislation and hope, then you may continue the Kennedy legacy as they would aspire to, most certainly even now in death.
Camelot!
A law was made a distant moon ago here
July and August cannot be too hot.
And there's a legal limit to the snow here
In Camelot.
The winter is forbidden till December
And exits March the second on the dot.
By order, summer lingers through September
In Camelot.
Camelot! Camelot!
The dream of Camelot is alive so long as we believe and strive to work at it.
No less, no more.