An Autumn Poem for Setti Warren and Bob Massie
Hulls polished, with well-trained crews,
You raised your sails, and caught the wind –
Quickly, the landscape of your expectation vanished
Your plans did not conquer the wildness of the ocean
And provisions and reinforcements did not arrive.
You did not sail on into the stormy waters, but as wise leaders
Protected your crew from wandering in the wilderness
Or perishing from lack of food and water
and returned to shore, certain to sail
Another day.
Deborah Sirotkin Butler c2011
Written today in gratitude to two courageous candidates, who led their campaigns “from the front”, providing guidance, a moral compass, and compassionate hands-on leadership to their devoted supporters. Both Setti Warren and Bob Massie led and directed their own campaigns with dignity and wisdom, displaying good judgment, a passion for governance, and deep knowledge of many issues as well as how government works. I am sure that we will hear from them again, and that both of them will continue to add to the public conversation about the future of the Commonwealth and the United States. And yes, a campaign is like sailing a tall ship, or great ship of the line in the days of sail; a candidate like Setti Warren or Bob Massie is the captain of that tall ship of campaign.
Please share widely!
And a good thought.
As you know, I’ve been in the same position and sometimes I work for the Annointed and sometimes I just find myself terribly interested in another race.
(I’ve not always been protected from wilderness wandering, and like that thought especially)
Setti Warren ran for a job, on basically the same platform as a sitting president. If he won, he’d have gotten some power and a great big fat salary and wouldn’t have to face a performance review for six years. Worst case, he drops out early, gets some press, and lives to try again.
I don’t…I don’t see what’s particularly courageous about that.