SONGS PRESIDENTIAL

Patrick presents a poetry anthology that examines American presidents.

This collection of poems takes readers through the history of the American executive branch, spanning the Lincoln administration to President Obama’s election in 2008. Rather than present a mere recitation of facts, the author brings each president to vivacious life. Through deft evocations of their successes and losses—both personal and political—Patrick ensures that the former presidents transcend the two-dimensional figures familiar from history textbooks. In “1860 Lincoln,” Patrick writes of the Civil War and notes Lincoln’s personal mourning of his dead child: “Wrapped in a homespun shawl, striped black, / Rocking away his grief, weeping, / In the unhappy rooms of his House…” In “1932 Roosevelt,” [61] the author captures the overwhelming connectedness of the nation listening to Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s fireside chats, writing, “…authentic verses of hope / From a tenor whose song was heard in kitchens, electrified, / …On the factory floor… / Narratives shared on park benches and oak pews, / A will to act, a call to arms in peace, solidarity in war, a Voice!” Alternatively, Patrick has no hesitation in acknowledging the foibles of the country’s former leaders. For Gerald Ford’s ode (“1974 Ford”), Patrick writes, “Pardon for a criminal / Presidency, paid in full. / Ambition corrupts his affable mask?” Equally damning is “1980 Reagan” [88]: “Dropping a dime on fellow actors, all ‘commies;’ / Loyal only to his script, / Carrying water for studio management / And corrupt union bosses, / A part in a play, a line, stage right.” Patrick’s writing can be evocative, particularly in Lincoln’s tribute, where he ruminates on the president’s assassination (“What was the dream / The traitor’s bullet spoiled? / Fairness, forgiveness? / Lost to the ages, unlike the man.”), and in “2008 Epilogue Obama,” which recalls the unity and hopefulness of that election night (“The millions and millions, / The atoms composed, / …Smoldering in the spinning stars / The millions of us….”). Adding to the emotion of the work, the author’s personal family history is interspersed throughout, making for a rich and well-rounded compilation.

A worthy collection as stirring as it is informative.