The History of The Irish...Worldwide
Ask Not Why
'My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.' -- JFK
For JFK
May 29, 1917 - Nov 22, 1963
Ask not why
Ask not why those shots rang out, their retort echoing across the crowded Plaza.
Ask not why those bullets coursed through the warm Texan air, to strike with measured,
deadly precision. Ask not why the smell of cordite invaded the senses and stung the innocent eyes.
Ask not why the dreamers are always besieged by those who would conspire in the shadows.
Ask not why their urge to drown potential in the abyss of negative thought, word and deadly deed.
Ask not why the inner light is detested and feared by the forces of darkness.
Ask not why the lesser men are loosed in time to hate all, to undo what was almost complete.
Ask not why the lamb was slaughtered in the arena by the ungodly, his blood congealed in the sawdust.
Ask not why the faceless brood bayed with savage, inhuman lust for his life force.
Ask not why the contorted, brutish minds attempt to justify their twisted tenets.
Ask not why evil holds its sway in a vise like grip with the tenacity of the hellish beast.
Instead ask how.
How do we ensure that it does not repeat? How can we keep his message of hope and optimism alive?
Ask what. What can we do for our country, our world?
Ask when. When will we see the likes of him again? Ask where. Where do we begin?
Remember, lest we forget the greatness stolen from us that bleak November day. .
Find more JFK-related content here
From "The Journey: A Nomad Reflects."
For Sale at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692500944/ref=rdr_ext_tmb
Also for Sale:
Don’t Die with Regrets: Ireland and the Lessons my Father Taught Me.
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Comment by The Wild Geese on November 26, 2014 at 3:34am
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A sad day, indeed.
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Heritage Partner Comment by That's Just How It Was on November 21, 2016 at 6:49am -
A sad day for the world... and in my opinion it will be another sad day, when Obama leaves office in January
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Comment by Colm Herron on November 27, 2016 at 7:11am
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A timely piece of work John, and so well expressed. Bravo.
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Comment by Claire Fullerton on November 27, 2016 at 10:58am
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Always such a pleasure to read anything from our dear Mr. Brennan, whose heart seems to beat in soul-stirring verse.
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Comment by Jean Sullivan Cardinal on November 27, 2016 at 1:30pm
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Wonderful John!
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Comment by John Anthony Brennan on November 28, 2016 at 5:20pm
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Thanks to all for your comments.
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Founding Member Comment by John M. Walsh on November 28, 2016 at 6:52pm -
John, You have made brilliant use of John Kennedy's own words to craft a poem that is carried like a tsunami on the wave of Kennedy's most powerful phrase "Ask not..." Thank you for bringing the echo of those words back to us.
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Thank you as always John. I'm glad it came across. I think we owe it to him to keep his memory alive.
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Thanks Colm.
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Thank you Claire.
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