Hope Rises

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: AMERICAN DEMOCRACY

Hope Rises

 

The night belongs to hope

A memory of the past

When they dwelled in the White House

Somehow we knew it would not last

But here on this Chicago night

Our hopes begin to stir

They linger in the rafters

The thought of how things were

When a man with funny ears

And a rhythm to his step

Led with calm and dignity

A mood that never slept

He lifted us with words

He calmed us through the night

With him we always knew

It would all turn out right

So now they bring a message

That hope will always rise

When good people come together

And answer to the cry:

Freedom, hope and dignity

Comfort us once more

They speak and we remember

What we’re fighting for

 

(The Obamas at the DNC)

The Faces of America

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: AMERICAN POLITICS

 

The Faces of America

 

Barack Obama said

There weren’t two Americas

There was only one

Barack Obama was partly right

And partly wrong

There aren’t two Americas

But there isn’t only one

There are more like twenty-two

Under the American sun

 

One America loves to read

Another watches sports on TV

One America plants a seed

Another has no need

One America reveres the flag

Another uses recyclable bags

One America loves barbecue

Another thrives on potato stew

One America loves its guns

Another wishes that was done

One America has no fear

Another cries a river of tears

One awakens to an ocean view

For another a simple park will do

One resides below the border

Another pleads for law and order

 

America has so many faces

So many cultures and so many races

Like the land we have all variations

But together we form a nation

United in our conviction

That together we are strong

We will rise above all wrong

Divided we are weak

That ship will spring a leak

 

Obama was partly right

Obama was partly wrong

He had a dream within his sight

But we are not that far along