So This is Christmas

(In memory of the 31st anniversary
of the death of John Lennon)

So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
So this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young-
So This Is Christmas (War is Over)
Lyrics by John Lennon

Most people think
That John Lennon’s
Assassin
Mark David Chapman
Only shot the famed singer
Once in the head
Not so
In fact
Chapman shot Lennon
Four times
From behind
In the back
(Like all acts of cowardice)
But never just once
And not even once
In the head
Which is very odd
Considering that Chapman
Fired his gun
At point blank range

Or perhaps Chapman
Was just a poor marksman
Or perhaps
Psychologically
He didn’t want to spoil
John Lennon’s head
The source of all his music
Which brought so much
Pleasure and joy
To so many millions
Of his fans

I only mention this fact
Because this coming
Dec. 8th
Will mark the
The 31st Anniversary
Of John Lennon’s death
And I am very sorry
That
Mark David Chapman
Saw fit to shoot John
At all
In the first place

Chapman has been
Denied parole
At least six times so far
Having pleaded guilty
To second degree
Manslaughter
He is now serving
His sentence of
Twenty years to life

Twenty years to life
For the crime of
Second degree manslaughter
Chapman saved the DA
A lengthy jury trial
By copping the manslaughter plea

Perhaps Chapman
Still harbors dreams
Of one day being paroled
So that he can once again
Walk the streets
As a free man
While Listening
To Beatle records
On his very own Ipod

Perhaps he sees himself
Visiting the Strawberries Fields
Central Park Memorial
To pay his respects
To the man
He once professed to
Love and admire
Before deciding
To shoot him
Four times
In the back
From behind

I only mention this
Because it is once
Again the
Christmas season
And John Lennon
Is still dead
And we
The living
The survivors
All still miss him
Very very much

I only mention this
Because it is once
Again the Christmas season
Which brings back
Memories of years past
When John Lennon was still
One of us
Still walking among us
And still making the wonderful
Music
That we all loved so much

And we all wish
With all of our hearts
That on that dreadful
And fateful
December day
Thirty one years ago
That Mark David Chapman
Had not done
What he did

jhmarkowitz
Philadelphia, Pa. 2011