ODE TO ROBERT STERN OR, A HISTORY OF THE 20TH CENTURY
Ken Stern
(Ken is Son #2)
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1
IT STARTED BACK IN ZERO EIGHT
THE CUBS WORLD CHAMPS FOR THE LAST TIME
BOB WAS THE FIRST OUT OF THE GATE
TWO COKES COST YOU A DIME
2
THE TITANIC CAME AND WENT DOWN COLD
BROTHER ALBERT JOINED THE GANG
NO NEED FOR LEONARDO DI CAPRIO
THE WAR TO END ALL WARS STARTED WITH A BANG
3
TIMES WERE GOOD THOSE EARLY YEARS
YOUNGSTER MARGARET WAS INVITED TO JOIN THE BAND
MOTHER AND POPSY HAD NO SPECIAL FEARS
HARDING AND COOLIDGE HAD EVERYTHING IN HAND
4
BOB WAS TOPS IN SCHOOL BUT AS A GRIND
GOLF, NOT GIRLS, WAS HIS MAIN FUN
HE WAS NEVER IN A REAL BIND
UNCLE ARTHUR HAYS, THE FAMOUS LAWYER, WAS WHAT MADE HIM RUN
5
TO WILLIAMS HE WAS AT THE TOP
BUT THEN HOOVER AND THE BIG ONE CAME
NO ALAN GREENSPAN TO ACT AS COP
THE FAMILY NEVER WAS THE SAME
6
HARVARD LAW WAS NO PODUNK U,
FRANKFURTER MADE HIM REALLY WORK AND SWEAT
BOB WAS EARLY LAW REVIEW
THE POTENTIAL WAS ALREADY THERE, YOU BET!
7
IN ‘33 WHEN FDR WAS THE HOPE OF THE UNFED
BOB’S CHANCES IN NEW YORK BEGAN TO DROOP
HE FOLLOWED THE MAN TO DC AFTER MOTHER SAID
WHY NOT TRY SOME ALPHABET SOUP?
8
WHEN ‘36 WAS CCC, WPA, NRA (THE FIRST ONE) AND NLRB
BOB’S ROLE AT JUSTICE WAS ON THE INCREASE
HE STARTED TO BE NOTICED AT THE SC (THAT’S SUPREME COURT FOR YOU
NEWCOMERS)
AND GOOD LUCK FOUND HIM TERESE
9
THERE CAME THREE SONS AND THE WAR WAS NIGH
AT WORK BOB WAS TOO VALUABLE TO GO
HE GAVE BLOOD OFTEN AND WENT FOR CERTIORARI
IN HIS OWN WAY A GENTLEMAN GI JOE
10
WHEN ALL WAS WON HE WON A FEW BIG ONES FOR THE PEOPLE
TERESE WAS ALWAYS THERE WITH SUPPORT AND A KISS
SOLICITOR GENERAL MADE HIM KNOWN AS NON-POLITICAL
NOT FOR HIM TRICKY DICK NIXON AGAINST PINK ALGER HISS
11
FAME WAS ALL YOU COULD EARN AT THE SUPREME COURT BAR
COLLEGE FOR THE THREE BOYS WOULDN’T COME OUT OF A HAT
SINCE BOB’S NAME WAS KNOWN AS AN APPELLATE STAR
’54 SAW HIM OFF TO MAYER, BROWN & PLATT
12
BOB HELPED THE FIRM AND IT HELPED BOB
BECOME A NAME ACROSS THE LAND
IT WASN’T JUST ANOTHER JOB
HE KNEW WHEN TO TAKE A STAND
13
IN THE FIFTIES AND SIXTIES WINNETKA WAS THE PLACE TO BE
FOR THE FAMILY AND NICE LIVING
BOB PASSED MUCH TIME ON THE GREEN
BUT TO FAMILY AND COMMUNITY HE WAS OFTEN GIVING
14
THE KIDS LEARNED WELL -- A REAL MIXED BUNCH
TERESE HAD HER HANDS FULL AND RAN THE HOME
WHILE BOB TOOK THE YOUNGER LAWYERS TO LUNCH
AND PURSUED YET ANOTHER LEGAL TOME
15
THE VIET WAR WAS A REAL TEST
FOR MAYOR RICHARD J, NOT FOR DAD
THE FORMER GAVE ‘EM CHICAGO’S BEST
THE LATTER’S CLIENTS THEY WERE GLAD
16
TO HAVE BOB FOR THEIR APPEALS BE DAMNED THE COST
GM, FORD, THE IC, THE SECOND CITY AND COUNTY OF COOK
MOST WERE WON OR SETTLED, A FEW WERE LOST
AND ALL RELIED UPON HIS BOOK
17
THE SEVENTIES SAW NIXON OUT OF TOWN
BOB WAS LAW COMMITTEE HERE, RULES COMMITTEE THERE
HE BROUGHT CLIENTS IN, HE GOT AROUND
RETIREMENT WAS NOT YET IN THE AIR
18
WITH REAGAN CAME MORE TIME FOR PUTT AND PITCH
THE CLASS B TROPHIES WERE OFTEN WON
ARIZONA IN WINTERS SEEMED LIKE A NICE SWITCH
SO HALF THE YEAR WAS SPENT IN THE SUN
19
WHEN MOM PASSED ON AFTER 55 YEARS
BOB WAS SAD WITHOUT A WIFE
BUT HELEN’S LOVE SAVED HIM FROM DESPAIR
AND GAVE HIM TEN YEARS MORE OF HAPPY LIFE
20
MORE WILL BE SAID OF BOB’S LIFE TODAY
BY HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS -- NO FOES
HIS GENTLE FORCE WAS LOVED BY THEM
AND WITH THIS I WILL CLOSE.