An innocent driver for U.S.C.                                  

When he drove he felt that he was free.

Life was good.  It seemed so fair.

He was happy….without a care.

But driving around town soon got him bored,

Till he stumbled on a station not yet explored.

The call letters, he heard, were KPFK

No turning back now, Frank was on his way

To be educated by scholars and folks so real

He listened with interest and much appeal

The things he heard opened his eyes

To points of view from other sides.

He began to research and found them true,

But what he heard made him feel blue.

He wanted to help the world as such.

But how could ONE person DO very much?

He searched his soul and discovered his truth

And found himself in an ‘editing booth’

Looking at films clips of famous truth tellers

Instead of carousing…out with the fellas.

Viewing hours of footage, he was now obsessed.

No time to drive or even to rest.

He let OTHERS tell the reality THEY saw

Put ten on a reel to be seen by all

Compelled by their passion he took from their best.

His film now is truly a ‘treasure chest’.

He compiled the speeches, which moved him to tears

And committed to spending the upcoming years…

Sharing this wisdom in video form.

What better way could he have to inform

The public of what this country had done

So long before 9-1-1 

He charges ten dollars of hard earned pay

But if you’re hard up on cash?  He’ll GIVE it away!

One book stood out, he heard its call

IT told the truth to one and to all

He found its author at UCLA

And decided to republish it, without delay.

Joel Andreas wrote the book with incredible wit

And Frank gets it out, so folks can READ it

Frank found his niche, to sell this book

To every person who would take a look,

And listen with interest as he spread the word

Although it may have sounded absurd

He quit his job to sell full time,

Daring daily to cross the line

To bring awareness to those he met.

Did he sell any books?  You BET!

At first they dribbled out the door,

But the public kept wanting more and more

They sold like hotcakes, throughout the land

Avoiding the list of books that are banned.

“ADDICTED To WAR” was its name.

It told the TRUTH…who was REALLY to blame.

In simple language…in cartoon form,

Going back in history to before WE were born.

It made the best seller list in the “L.A. Times”

(In spite of the fact that it had no rhymes)

High schools and colleges used the book in their class.

The progressive word… getting out at last!

Fairfax High ordered five hundred

This book in a school?  Had someone blundered?

A unanimous vote for the book as a text

Got San Francisco Republicans more than vexed. 

Around the world he ships the books out.

Educating the public without a doubt

To groups and clubs and churches and such.

And still, it doesn’t cost very much.

Japanese, German and Spanish translation

Pleased other countries with much exhilaration

A standard book, now, in the ‘movement of peace’

The best book out there that can actually teach!

Now everyone knows ‘Big Frank’ by his smile.

They watch as he goes that ‘extra mile’

To the ‘School of Americas’ he ventures each year.

Afraid of arrest? He HAS no fear!

To support his hero, ‘Father Roy’

A TRUE activist…the real McCoy.

Then there’s S. Brian Willson whom Frank admires.

When HE comes to town Frank TRIPLES the flyers!

A ‘Veteran for Peace’ Frank’s against THIS war.

He’s bothered by THIS war and ALL wars before.

Humbly working behind the scenes

Without a huge budget, with little means,

He follows his heart and does what is right

To wake up the masses about this terrible blight.

Kind and friendly is his smiling face

Which can be seen all over the place.

Miss him? You can’t… even from afar,

With stickers and peace signs all over his car.

His lovely wife Jane, his partner so true,

Supports his commitment through and through.

Even daughter Emmy takes a break from her plays

To help out her Dad, in so many ways.

They open their house for ‘functions of peace’,

Hoping their events don’t alarm the police.

With the help of Don White they raised lots of dough.

Original songs too…a wonderful show!

He feeds the masses, it’s always so yummy.

No one ever leaves with an empty tummy.

All of the peace movement people have been there

Especially the ones who really dare,

Kathy Kelly, Fernando Suarez, Barbara Trent and Blase,

Peter & Sally, Cole Miller and Cindy Sheehan… so many to praise.

He brings them in, so we hear each story

He does it for LOVE, not ego or glory.

Frank’s an example of what one man can do.

Has he done this before? No, this was all NEW.

A pioneer for peace he says “LOVE conquers ALL”

And hopes that we will find OUR call.

So tonight “Big Frank’ we give praise to you now.

Stand up Frank and take a well-deserved bow!