On The American Inauguration

[PandoraGlitters]

This is the spot to post your feelings, poems, thoughts on the inauguration of President Barack Obama. I just have to share that I watched this today:

"We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals," and
"To all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more."

among a shouting, jubilant mass of inner city youth and struggled not to cry (much). Did anyone else? What did you think about Elizabeth Alexander's poem?

ETA: I got a text from a friend in England who said simply, "Yay, America."

 

[Safe_Bet]

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b318/sweetsubsarahh/Obamacute.jpg​

 

[Angeline]

Yesterday I was at an amazing reading (as you know, Dora) where I read and heard some incredible poetry about Obama, people's hopes for America, Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights memories, lots of great, great stuff. And I heard more than a few poems that I think are way better than the one read at the inauguration today. Oh well. Like Eve said, any occasion where so many people attend to a poem being read is a good thing.

The thing that struck me most in all this incredible celebrating was the way Obama used the word "we" in his inaugural speech. Yeah I know that sounds editorish and nerdy, but think about it: most head of state types use "we" and they really mean the royal we (think Queen Victoria), but Obama so clearly meant "we the people" every time. It's so different and unprecedented (at least in my adult life) to hear this kind of inclusion and unshakable confidence in it. Made me cry. That and Aretha singing My Country Tis of Thee.

I just wrote the following yesterday, and I'm not too happy with it (specially the ending). It's raw and needs work, but it does express what I'm feeling so what the hell.

Dear Barack,

Let me speak with you frankly,
like a Dutch uncle you could say,
though I’m no uncle and neither
of us Dutch.

Let me call you Barack today.
I’m sure you won’t mind
what with those emails
we exchanged, our relationship
rather intimate after I sent
that money you needed.

I feel we know each other:
We’ve shared hopes and dreams
Remember when I said the Clintons
were race-baiting, that I really don’t
think we're post-racial yet?

You said don’t worry about it.

You said that a lot,
and I’m trying but I didn’t
grow up in Hawaii or Indonesia.
I come from a small town,
I know how small-town
people can be. I’m sure some
of them would cross the street
if they saw you coming, others
unsatisfied until they see you
walk across the Potomac.


So I do worry
about you, that beautiful family.
I’d even send more money
to buy more protection, more
slow-moving dinosaur tankcars,
but for God’s sake watch yourself.
Our hopes are too high
and I think about Dallas, Los Angeles,
I think about Birmingham.

Keep yourself out of harm’s way,
ok? And keep your sense of humor,
Lord knows we’ll take everything
else away from you, age you
at least 20 years in the next four.

I recommend jazz
for relaxation, and maybe
keep sticking with Stevie Wonder.
He sees a lot more
than most people realize.

 

[StepStransky]

A sense of awe

My first post on Literotica... and what a day to make it on. From outside of America, looking in, it's been like staring into the sun today. A wonderful moment in history... never to be forgotten.

 

[Angeline]

My first post on Literotica... and what a day to make it on. From outside of America, looking in, it's been like staring into the sun today. A wonderful moment in history... never to be forgotten.

Welcome to the forum.

It's a good day to be human, eh? A day where we can all take pride in seeing the human spirit at its best.

 

[PandoraGlitters]

My first post on Literotica... and what a day to make it on. From outside of America, looking in, it's been like staring into the sun today. A wonderful moment in history... never to be forgotten.

Welcome, Step. A day for celebration.

And yes, SB, they are pretty damn cute.

And Angeline, that poem is really good. Your America poem I love even more. There needs to be a fireside chat, again; maybe you should do it in poems.

 

[Angeline]

Welcome, Step. A day for celebration.

And yes, SB, they are pretty damn cute.

And Angeline, that poem is really good. Your America poem I love even more. There needs to be a fireside chat, again; maybe you should do it in poems.

Thanks love. I am veering from loving it to hating it lol. But I'm pretty sure I hate and need to change the end.

I'd love to see any other poems people are writing about all this. It's a great day for being inspired to write about so many different things.

 

[WickedEve]

My child (home sick) and I watched all day long.
I wasn't terribly impressed with the poem but I liked it well enough. Hey, she's better poet than I am and most of us here. And she got to read her poem at the inauguration!

 

[WickedEve]

Hey, Ange, the poem is really good. Very real. I like that.

 

[Angeline]

Hey, Ange, the poem is really good. Very real. I like that.

Thanks Evie. I need to work on my poem confidence this year. When one doesn't write for a while, it really affects the ability to be objective about quality, I think. And I have issues with that even when I write every day!

 

[TheRainMan]

. . .

"We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals." . . .

amen.

 

[TheRainMan]

Hey, Ange, the poem is really good. Very real. I like that.

me too.

 

[WickedEve]

me too.

Hi!
Even her less than fantastic poems are darn good. She writes on a level where she really doesn't write a "bad" poem. Her Dear Barack poem really works, in my opinion.

 

[TheRainMan]

Hi!
Even her less than fantastic poems are darn good. She writes on a level where she really doesn't write a "bad" poem. Her Dear Barack poem really works, in my opinion.

hi back, sweet Virginia.

of course she's darn good. so are you.

i see you're writing some again. that's also darn good.

 

[annaswirls]

This is the spot to post your feelings, poems, thoughts on the inauguration of President Barack Obama. I just have to share that I watched this today:

"We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals,"

this was the line that stood out for me as well.

I am still glowing....

 

[Angeline]

me too.

Ok, now I believe. You're pickier than my fifth grade grammar teacher.

 

[annaswirls]

Over in the other poetry place there was a thread started about the inaugural poem:

http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=635919

so if you missed it, you can read it here.

 

[Angeline]

Here's a link to a transcript of today's inaugural speech in case anyone wants to read it. It's at CNN in case you have any problems linking.

I'll hop over and put the link in the other thread as well so no one misses it.

 

[TheRainMan]

Ok, now I believe. You're pickier than my fifth grade grammar teacher.

hi you.

nice poem, and a really good day to be an American.

 

[tungtied2u]

Nice poem Ange.

 

[tungtied2u]

Barack's paradigm

i have seen too much and not enough
too much of me first,
look out for him,
don't you dare

not enough of let me
how can i help you
here, have some more

now is the moment to change the paradigm
brother, you CAN spare a dime
and change
things in good time
if you have the will

hope is a treasure
to often hoarded
open your chest, share
in the prosperity of your heart

that's a start
and an end unto itself

 

[annaswirls]

Let me call you Barack today.
I’m sure you won’t mind
what with those emails
we exchanged, our relationship
rather intimate after I sent
that money you needed.

Hey, I thought I was the only one he emailed! Michelle sends nice notes too. She even sent me her shortbread cookie recipe.

Okay I lied. Google gave me that.

 

[PandoraGlitters]

Thanks for the link, Anna. It was good to see the poem in print. And Tungtied, thank you for contributing a poem. Yay. Two Obama poems. And hello there, TheRainMan.

 

[Angeline]

Hey, I thought I was the only one he emailed! Michelle sends nice notes too. She even sent me her shortbread cookie recipe.

Okay I lied. Google gave me that.

Lol. You must feel very close to David Plouffe then, too.

I was going to be jealous because I never got the shortbread recipe!

 

[bflagsst]

I watched the address and the images were wonderful, but the words were sort of empty. I teared up plenty at how nice the presentation was and how so many people were so excited. But I mean, I can't accept the aesthetic/poetic quality of his words about peace and such if I don't think he's gonna pull the troops out of Iraq/afghanistan in the four years he's president.