Like a 1970’s Marvin Gaye sample
Your life has been
Such a powerful example
Of what dedication and melody
A refrain like “Mercy Mercy Me”
Can roll
And rock
Like a sea of sound waves
With your lifeboat of smiles
Your scent of aftershave
I’ve seen in you
Two super powers meet
‘Design’ and ‘desire’
Like friends in the street
Nod and take each other’s hand
Strike a deal and start a band
The best I can do is make a remix
With my own education
Faith and politics
Write a new song with ingredients of old
Try to be as loyal
As joyful and as bold
As I’ve seen you conduct
Yourself through the years
Your choices
Like note-perfect sound engineers
Even the heartbreaking
Crescendos in the road
Have been a solemn source
From which your ballad has flowed
Yours has been the chorus
Mine will be the bridge
If I can somehow emulate
Your perfect pitch