Independent since 2002 Issue No. 1102 Week of November 7, 2026 Get the free email dispatch →

Guest Commentary

A Beautiful Specimen Of A Man! – A Poem about Ali

By Dr. Carlos Russell, PhD Guest Commentator

"Ain't got no quarrel with no Vietcong" Remained with me all life long. That, was Muhammad Ali! A beautiful specimen of a MAN! For all on the planet to see.

June 9, 2016 1 min read Free to read

June 09, 2016 – Issue 657

A Beautiful Specimen Of A Man!

A Poem about Ali

By Dr. Carlos Russell, PhD

Early this morning,

On first reading

Of the passing

Of Muhammad Ali,

Sweet and bitter memories

Came to me.

“A “black man’s Hero” was he.

Though saddened and sullen,

He still is for me.

Who “floated like a butterfly

And stung like a bee”;

Who “shook up the world”

For all of us to see.

“Ain’t got no quarrel with no Vietcong”

Remained with me all life long.

That, was Muhammad Ali!

A beautiful specimen of a MAN!

For all on the planet to see.

“The most colorful fighter in the world”

Was he.

“The “Bear”

The “Mummy”

And the “Beast”

Like struck trees they fell

Flat at his feet.

“He came,

He saw,

He conquered”

–Almost all–

And now he is gone.

The world will mourn his loss.

With tears in my eyes,

This morning,

I ask.

“When cometh such another?”

© 2002–2026 BlackCommentator.com

Free to reprint with attribution and a link to our home page.

Join the conversation

Commenting is for Members

Reading is always free. Become a member to add your voice — comment on every column.

Liked this piece? Get the next one free.

A new issue, most weeks, straight to your inbox — no strings.

$ $ Contribute $ $