The Departures Gate

A poet in his tender hours of literary
elegance, he was also an intellectual 
whose acquired wisdom he generously
shared in opinion pieces that awed
reflecting experience and an intimate
awareness of humankind's failings
liberally leavened by a deeply
mordant wit. His acerbic avuncularity
gained him favour as a raconteur of
extraordinary dimension, and as a
sought-after political pundit. With so
many creative and practical insights
at his command his published books
enjoyed wide appeal and the oeuvre
of this man of letters whom history
claimed as one of its own was peerless.
When he died, much, much too
soon, a pall of regrets engulfed his
colleagues and admirers. Did that
sad news hit the media? Just his
misfortune to kick off this mortal 
coil on a day claimed by a pop 
celeb in a departure of poor timing.