The Silent Hand: A Tribute to Kevin King

his poem is dedicated to the memory of Kevin King (1956–2023), a visionary entrepreneur, a quiet philanthropist, and a proud son of Newfoundland and Labrador

The Silent Hand: A Tribute to Kevin King 

In the heart of the Island, where salt breezes blow,

He built up a kingdom from seeds he did sow.

From the shores of Weybridge to the reach of the town,

He wore the mantle of leadership, but never a crown.

With a firm, steady handshake and a word you could trust,

He turned stone into havens and dreams into dust.

He thought of the elders, their comfort and care,

And built them a refuge with a vision so rare.

But the measure of Kevin wasn’t found in the stone,

Nor the height of the buildings that the valley had grown;

It was found in the cupboards of a neighbor in need,

In the quiet, dark places where he planted a seed.

“Tell no one it’s me,” was the only word said,

As he provided for children their daily-earned bread.

He walked through the shadows to bring in the light,

 champion of kindness who stayed out of sight.

He looked to the maps with a patriot’s pride,

Naming the paths where the brave would reside.

With Beaumont Hamel, Regiment, and Bonaventure too,

He honored the veterans, the brave and the true.

His dream for the Haven was greater   than most,

A refuge of peace on the winds of the coast.

Though the blueprints are folded and the hammers are still,

The rest of his vision sits quiet on the hill.

In Bonaventure , he rests ‘neath the sky’s open dome,

With a helicopter carved on the stone of his home.

A symbol of flight and the heights he would crave,

Watching over the town from a quiet, honored grave.

Now the rivers of Labrador ripple his name,

Free from the noise and the burden of fame.

A pillar has fallen, but the legacy stands—

Built by the heart of a man with such generous hands.

James E. Mercer *** April 11, 2026 *** Copyright Protected all reghts reserved.