
May The Verse Be With You was begun as a way to celebrate and immortalise characters, from many beloved stories, in a lighthearted way. Last weekend, Sci fi Pulse was shocked and saddened to hear about the death of Chadwick Boseman. This week, it seems only fitting that we pay tribute to his iconic performance as King T’challa a.k.a. Black Panther. So, with a much more sombre tone than usual, we offer this Ode as homage, and thanks.
The Next Stage
With ease, he got his claws into us all,
but his true power lived beneath his suit
Chosen silence was his warrior’s call
Once it was heard all the loud world fell mute
He showed so well his hardest fight best done;
his poise, his grace, the power that is black
shone through. Though he knew of his setting sun
he’d made his choice, there was no turning back
And so, he leaves us utterly bereft
trying to work out how his death can be
and ponder of Wakanda what is left
We must be as brave as him and learn to see:
though death’s sore sting seems worse than anything
he will live on — he’ll always be our king!
All words by Benjamin Francis Cassidy
Illustration by L A Cassidy
No words can ever capture hearts the way Chadwick Boseman captured his audiences. We just hope that we’ve done a true hero justice in trying to keep his memory alive. He’ll be sorely missed by all for so many reasons. We must try to take solace in King T’Challa’s own words he utters to Black Widow, following the death of his father “In my culture, death is not the end”. One thing that’s certain is that May The Verse Be With You and Sci-fi Pulse joins the ranks of all those whose love for Chadwick Boseman will never die. Wakanda forever . . .