The Obama Effect
During the past forty-eight hours,
Since Barack Obama assumed the coveted mantle
Of President Elect of the United States of America,
Dignitaries worldwide have weighed in,
Expressing their palpable hope that he'll make a difference,
Lend, to the land that epitomizes democracy, freedom,
A guiding hand — competence, intelligence, logic —
Balanced by an ear capable of listening to and assimilating
The sage wisdom of disparate philosophers,
Dismissing, summarily, semantic opportunists
And flimflam lobbyists bent on self-aggrandizement...
A common man who can relate to the common man,
See through the sycophancy of power-hungry egotists
Voted into Washington, where they line their pockets,
Before retreating to time-share castles
In Crawford, Texas, Kennebunkport, Maine,
The hundred and one Forbes 500 Hamptons, Greenwiches
(All preserves for bloated hedge-fund elephants).
From what I perceive, two days after the election,
The Obama effect is fast taking hold,
Drifting down into lives not used to dreaming,
From Nairobi to Chicago, Mexico City to Mumbai,
Inspiring, in the most impoverished kids' minds,
The idea that everything is possible,
If only one yearns high enough, deep enough,
Works hard enough, studies late into the night enough,
Believes that anything can be accomplished, if only...
If only diligence and discipline and desire coalesce,
In a synergy of extraordinarily scintillating brilliance
Utterly incomprehensible to George W. Bush
(Who, in 2001, at the Yale commencement, said,
"Well done," to honors recipients, and, to the C students,
"You too can be President of the United States")...
If only one tries to advance humankind,
By uniting people divided by faith, politics, and race,
Make them realize their differences can also be strengths.
11/06/08 - (2)
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