Editor’s note: I wrote this on the night that Barack Obama became the first African-American president. I along with countless others, wept at the promise of the degradation of racism in America. The promise, somewhat tarnished and sullied even by the boundless harassment of the man seated in the nation’s highest office, remains still. We salute his proud service and contribution. He has made us proud!
on the warmest night
in Novemberwhen thousandslined the streetsamidst turmoil,angst and fear the cheering and tearswere deafeningas was the heavinessand waiting from untold millions lost in the Atlantic shot on the run hung for no better reasonthan an untoward glance killed in a street fightfor dignitythat nobody won worked to death in anAlabama cotton field Texas chain gang Gary Iron Melt Pontiac assembly line Chasing a Newark dragonplunging in and outthinking Lord, how long? peering heaven’s balconydabbing tears our undaunted noble warriorthe anticipated heraldour voice, our sagefree world leader constrained world leaderheld by threads of contemptprejudicedauntless, nonethelessbolstered by national prayerour herograceful to the endBarack Obama
Well said. Thank you for sharing and giving voice to what some of us felt unable to articulate. Yes!