Watching the telly that day all those years ago

Numbed by the events and the incredibe show

Alleged assassin being led through the crowds

Off to a hearing to determine just exactly how



This frail little fellow had stopped the country

By getting caught up in death - a conspiracy

Of the very highest order it seemed to all of us 

And here he was being led casually to a bus



When out of the crowd a fellow stepped forward

Pushing past cameramen and all the way towards

A man who'd not now have the chance to tell

His part in the dark day which we knew so well



For shots rang out and Lee O. fell to the ground

Clutching himself and mortally wounded around

His stomach which'd taken the bullets point-blank

And with him - the truth of that day, not any prank



Instead of finding out how Lee fit into the puzzle

Now we had to know why Ruby chose to muzzle

The alleged assassin which nobody knew for sure

And now never would 'cause Ruby was in the picture



Was he just a crazed club-owner who'd went off half-cocked

When his beloved President had met his fate so knocked

Off - supposedly by some sad and disillusioned traitor

And this had turned Jack Rubenstein into a Lee-hater?



Or was he, as some have said - a fellow conspirator

Who was seen with Lee previously as they conferred?

And if this is so - it is hardly likely Lee H. acted alone

But was part of a much bigger plot hatched at home



Two Americans who'd been seen together in places

Communicating with others who'd not win any races

A muddy collage of dark people with extensive ties

To countries and organizations who'd win no prize



It was because of this the caught man'd have to go

And this also was hatched within the two days' show

During which time we watched LBJ take the oath

And saw clips of Jackie soaked in blood head to toe



And ongoing news coverage replaying the motorcade

As we watched again and again mesmerized in spades

It was so hard to believe the Camelot Era had ended

With a bullet to the head which could not be mended 



One bullet we were asked to believe did the damage

Shot by a fellow who wasn't even at a very good stage

In his sluggish development of rifle-firing expertise

Who'd supposedly carried the gun into work - please!



A Mauser was initially identified found upon sixth floor

What happened to it is a mystery we'll never know more

Lee was found to have ordered a Mannlicher-Carcano

From a mail-order catalogue for just $40 he'd then owe



And so the rifle found on the sixth floor did become one

How convenient it must have been to have this tidbit run

Through the maze of simplistic details about Lee's life

Along with visits to Cuba & Russia where he found a wife



So much is known now about Lee H. Oswald's life today

But so little of it really tells what happened on that grey

Day in November when a President's life was snuffed out

Tainting an entire generation who could never go about



Their lives without wondering about the assassination

And grief-stricken over a death without explanation

Asked to believe a lone gunman had fired the shots

Which'd stopped a nation in its tracks, and made us hot



Christopher W. Thomas

10:27am Mon 11/24/97