[Douglas G. Brown]

A Life Well-Lived; James Earl Carter

This sturdy Georgia farm boy, born in Plains
Had worked his father’s peanut fields each day,
Until at age eighteen he went away
To learn to sail; then got saltwater stains
For seven years, until relieved of pains
To rove the world. Returning home in May,
And growing skilled at politics, he'd play
The power game like sunshine follows rains.

He reached the Apex, then like autumn’s leaves,
Fell back to Earth, and felt the cooling suns
Of Fame. Then God said “Gather ye the sheaves
To feed thy meekest brethren. Use thy breath
And strength to shelter those whose lives had runs
Of Fortune worse than thine; and challenge Death."


I have one factual error in this. How much poetic license is allowed?