Louisiana State Senate Poem

"Leadership"

Written by Jean McGivney Boese

Adopted in 1999

The official state poem of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana, written by Jean McGivney Boese, and entitled, "Leadership", was adopted in 1999

Louisiana State Senate Poem : "Leadership"

"Leadership"

"It is easy to bend with the wind and be weak,
Wrapped in silence when it would take courage to speak,
To do nothing when crises demand that you act;
To prefer a delusion to unpleasant fact.
But the easy evasions that dreamers embrace
Are denied to a leader with problems to face.
He must cope with the world as he finds it, and plan
To make each hard decision as well as he can.
He can't hide from the truth or deny what is real.
Though a lie might assuage all the fears people feel.
For the truth is the truth, and no lie can prevail.
In a world that is real, one must face truth or fail."

Origin of Poem: "Leadership"

Louisiana Law

The law designating the poem, "Leadership." as the official Louisiana state Senate poem is found in the Louisiana Statutes, Title 49, Section RS 49:155.5

TITLE 49 - State administration
RS 49:155.5 - State senate poem

Universal Citation: LA Rev Stat § 49:155.5

§155.5. State Senate poem

There shall be an official state Senate poem. The official state poem of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana, written by Jean McGivney Boese, and entitled, "Leadership", reads as follows:

"It is easy to bend with the wind and be weak,

Wrapped in silence when it would take courage to speak,

To do nothing when crises demand that you act;

To prefer a delusion to unpleasant fact.

But the easy evasions that dreamers embrace

Are denied to a leader with problems to face.

He must cope with the world as he finds it, and plan

To make each hard decision as well as he can.

He can't hide from the truth or deny what is real.

Though a lie might assuage all the fears people feel.

For the truth is the truth, and no lie can prevail.

In a world that is real, one must face truth or fail."

Acts 1999, No. 843, §1.