funeral tone
the uniquely quivering voice
fights to hold on
as water rises to breach the levee inside

too personal for television
the tiny tremble renders me weak
caroline kennedy
amazing grace - she

in 96 - a month into my daytime show
my assistant stuck her head in
"senator ted kennedy and his sister eunice
r on their way over "

it felt like a movie
a surreal dream
y i asked her
"they were doing the today show and wanted to stop by"

i had ten minutes to get ready
it was 8 20 am
parker was asleep in the crib
there at 30 rock

the kennedys
i do not remember my life without them
featured prominently
irish royalty

june 1968 - i was six years old
i remember watching the funeral on tv
my mother crying
she never cried in front of us

my mother
if only had she lived to see this moment
and in he walked - with the classic smile
he took me in his arms

a big irish family hello
welcoming warm familiar
he asked about my childhood
told me about his

parker woke up
and the senator held him
we said good bye
promised to keep in touch

we met many times
after that first day
each time he greeted me like a friend
he truly was a huge hearted lion

after jfk jr died - i sent him a note
a month later got one back
full of inspiration and comfort
for me

thats the man i will always remember
who took time out
to tend to the feelings of those in pain
in the midst of his own

he was able to lift us
2 remind us 2 help each other
to carry on
to believe

i believed in him
ted kennedy
the one who got to stay
and raise all those kennedy kids

in his brothers place
holding that family together
through unbearable sorrow and genuine joy
for decades

with humble gratitude
amen