Burr – Misunderstood
American
I
am not throwing away my shot
Fateful
day where aim was true
A
shot was “thrown” to much ado
But
was that more contrived excuse
Preparatory
actions one might deduce
Determined
foe who would not relent
Though
ample chance was underwent
Hamilton
more did instigate
‘Twas
Burr who penned to mediate
Slurs
sprung forth in Alexander’s wrath
Burr’s
cool hand sought other path
I
am not throwing away my shot
History
makes Burr a shifty fiend
But
to strike a deal was how he leaned
A
politician, true, with all that hints
No
more, no less, men before or since
Rivals
conspired to ruin his name
First
New York then Virginia same
1800
did not connive to steal
Campaigned
for “Jeff” with fullest zeal
He
was cast aside by the doubting Thomas
Career
was lost, a broken promise
I
am not throwing away my shot
Ventured
west in a fevered state
But
not the traitor that became his fate
Filibuster
goal was a common theme
Of
Spanish lands many eyes would glean
Though
foolish in his ill-laid action
To
split the nation was no attraction
His
legal mind was marked outstanding
For
middling classes sought better standing
And
while quite the scoundrel in romantic fares
For
women’s rights had fewest peers
Burr
was flawed like any man must be
Yet
much is lost by history
Reduced
to villain by word and song
Lin
Manuel, a genius, gets so much wrong
Most
profiles writ hold Burr stained quite unfairly
We’ve
heard his name but know him barely
He
did not throw away his shot/He threw away his shot
Copyright
SGW 2018
Footnotes:
Based largely on information from Nancy Isenberg’s biography “Fallen Founder –
The Life of Aaron Burr.” Repeated line from the Broadway musical “Hamilton.”
