This Is America (and Mimi on Inauguration Caffeine)
I am watching live the Inauguration of Barack Obama.
Stream of consciousness for your blog viewing pleasure...
Snuggly warm in Bloggingham with a blanket of snow outside and a cup of hot coffee.
The world is poised and watching.....Pencil Skirt has gone gah gah this morning in front of her TV set...taking pictures of the s
creen.....I did not do that!.......maybe....
There is an OBAMA chant happening. Oh my! BRB
Up-to-the-Mimi-moments-ahead.
Oh joy.
Why is Katie Couric sitting in my chair!!?
Up-to-the-Mimi-moments-ahead.
Oh joy.
Why is Katie Couric sitting in my chair!!?
These folks are on my mind today.
Update: One of my heroes. Ted Kennedy arriving at the inauguration earlier today. A picture from my TV below. Yeah. I know.
Martin and CorettaJohn, Bobby, Edward...
the victims of 9/11 also....
I want my country safe.
I want my sense of pride back as an American throughout the world.
I want to see hope and peace as a reality and not just words on paper.
Aretha Franklin is singing "My Country 'Tis Of Thee"....come on girl.....the key is there somewhere (just sayin')
She was overcome with emotion. What a moment.
Itzhak Perlman is playing an original composition with Yo-Yo Ma. I saw Perlman up close and live once. Strings make me shiver. This is magic...." Simple Gifts"....strains of freedom...
Okay. I am crying now...
The oath of office.
My heart is so full.
So help me God.
My heart is so full.
So help me God.
The speech. I expect his usual brilliance..My favorites:"...
"We will extend a hand if you are willing to
unclench your fist."
Go, Mr. President.
The soldiers in Arlington..."they are the guardians of our liberty"...
well said, Mr. President
"....Those qualities....loyalty and patriotism...these things are old...these things are true....what is demanded is a return to these truths."
Amen, Mr. President.
"This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed....."
"...whose father not less than 60 years ago who wouldn't have been served in a local restaurant, can now stand before you and take a most sacred oath."
"America, in the face of our common dangers......let us remember these timeless words......
Let it be said by our children's children....."
Amen, Mr. President.
"This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed....."
"...whose father not less than 60 years ago who wouldn't have been served in a local restaurant, can now stand before you and take a most sacred oath."
"America, in the face of our common dangers......let us remember these timeless words......
Let it be said by our children's children....."
And then he kissed his wife and his children.
The poet speaks.
Written by Inaugural poet, Elisabeth Alexander
"I know there's something better down the road.....We walk into that which we cannot see....Sing the names of the dead who brought us here.....who laid the train tracks....built brick by brick....Praise song for struggle....Praise song for the day......Praise song for every hand-lettered sign. Praise song.
What if the mightiest word is love?"
What if it is?
The poet speaks.
Written by Inaugural poet, Elisabeth Alexander
"I know there's something better down the road.....We walk into that which we cannot see....Sing the names of the dead who brought us here.....who laid the train tracks....built brick by brick....Praise song for struggle....Praise song for the day......Praise song for every hand-lettered sign. Praise song.
What if the mightiest word is love?"
What if it is?
41 comments:
I sure hope he makes some changes for the better and get us out of this mess.
I have something for you at my site so come by and see.
Love and Blessings,
AngelBaby
Well put. By both you and President Obama. Now let's get a peace globe into the White House shall we?
There's never been a better chance!
The quote that hit me was... "Your people will judge you on what you build, not what you destroy."
Angel - Hope is high today.
Mojo - You know I'm not kidding about that!
Carol - Me too! That was when I started typing quotes as fast as I could. That was brilliant.
I transcribed the poem for you.
Praise song for the day
Each day we go about our business,
walking past each other,
catching each others' eyes or not,
about to speak, or speaking.
All about us is noise.
All about us is noise and bramble,
thorn and din,
each one of our ancestors on our tongues.
Someone is stitching up a hem,
darning a hole in a uniform,
patching a tire,
repairing the things in need of repair.
Someone is trying to make music somewhere,
with a pair of wooden spoons on an oil drum,
with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice.
A woman and her son wait for the bus.
A farmer considers the changing sky,
a teacher says "Take out your pencils. Begin."
We encounter each other in words,
words spiny or smooth,
whispered or declaimed,
words to consider, reconsider.
We cross dirt roads and highways
that mark the will of someone,
and then others,
who said, "I need to see what's on the other side.
I know there's something better down the road."
We need to find a place where we are safe
We walk into that which we cannot yet see.
Say it plain, that many have died for this day.
Sing the names of the dead who brought us here,
who laid the train tracks,
raised the bridges,
picked the cotton and the lettuce,
built brick by brick the glittering edifices
they would then keep clean and work inside of.
Praise song for struggle,
Praise song for the day.
Praise song for every hand-lettered sign,
the figuring it out at kitchen tables.
Some live by "Love thy neighbor as thy self."
Others by first do no harm, or take no more than you need.
What if the mightiest word is love?
Love, beyond marital, filial, national?
Love that casts a widening pool of light.
Love with no need to preempt grievance.
In today's sharp sparkle,
this winter air,
anything can be made,
any sentence begun.
On the brink,
On the brim,
On the cusp,
Praise song, for walking forward in that light.
It was an awe inspiring occasion to be sure. Many of my thoughts echoed yours and I picked up immediately on the phrase about "unclench your fist" that I thought was one of the most powerful of the speech.
Now, as to the poem...I could have done without that. Sorry, but this woman is no Maya Angelou.
Well done, Mimi.
Could not watch here at work, so many people were streaming it almost crashed the system
I will watch tonight.
This is indeed a great day for America and the world! :)
Just in case it IS the mightiest, let's keep on spreading it around.
You zeroed in on my favorite lines, Mimi.
I teared up. Couldn't help it. Drippy eyes. It's a good thing Poor Hubby wasn't home. He woulda made fun of me. I was glad that our new President sounded both idealistic and realistic. His taking office isn't the wave of a magic wand, but it may be picking it up.
Eyes will be on the White House from now on.
It was an amazing occasion and his speech was perfect. We watched with a group of other people at a local restaurant with big screen TVs - it was almost like being there, but warmer! People were applauding and cheering.
I have been crying in my cube all day long =)
It was a very good speech.
Anonymous - Thank you....whomever you are.
It's such a great feeling..
Lee - I'm a big fan of Maya Angelou's but I think the tone of this poem fit the tone of his speech nicely.
Bobbie - Thanks! It was great!
Bond - I wish I could have actually been there. I hope you get to start from the beginning and watch the whole thing.
Akelamalu- I agree! It's amazing to watch the reactions and celebrations around the world.
Margo - It is the mightiest.
Autumn - I actually started crying before it started. Yesterday.
Lordy.
Jean-luc - Definitely. I hope the media will leave the children alone.
Mauigirl - It WAS amazing. I wish I'd been with a bunch of people to share it....but then I wouldn't have been able to write it all down I suppose.
Thanks for dropping in!
Starr - I can imagine!
Charles - Yes, it was. I need to go back and actually read it now. The newscasters had a preview copy and kept trying to give it away before he even spoke it. I nearly had a fit!
Bud - That it is.
I enjoyed spending this important time with you dear Mimi. I could hear your voice full of pride.
What? We were chatting online?
I guess your patriotic pride came from your words!
I wish him all the best, as a new president, and a leader.
Love, LOVE this post! I'm not sure I've been able to absorb how BIG yesterday was. Glad you included the Kennedys. Seeing Teddy in that fedora was sobering, even before he got sick at lunch. He's the only brother to hit 70 (or 60 or 50, for that matter), and to borrow a well-worn but still appropriate phrase, seeing him there meant the torch finally had been passed to a new generation of romantic/pragmatic liberal politicians. Hearing Obama mention Muslims and agnostics as well as Christians was awesome, even as he harkened back to traditional American values. I feel like maybe things had to get this bad before we could have get everyone on board with such a forward-thinking, new generation President.
I felt shivers down to the base of my spine as I watched the inauguration, and again as I read your wonderful entry. No wonder Mojo selected you as one of his blog award honorees: you write with incredible honesty and power.
So, so nice to e-meet you. I can't wait to see what else you've got here!
By the way, Your Highness, congratulations on receiving much deserved recognition as one of Mojo's Diamond in the Rockpile recipients. :0)
Wonderful! Absoulutely wonderful! I watched it all. And isn't it something that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. predicted an African American in the white house 45 years ago. Well, he did actually say 40 years, but he was still on the money.
Rev Lowery made me cry too.
Did you send your Peace Globe yet?
It was quite the day.
Julie - You are the "who I was with" person!
Eric - He has a long road ahead of him.
Gal - It was all amazingly HUGE in so many ways. I haven't absorbed it either. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of the inspiration that was Inauguration Day. Well said.
Carmi - Thank you for the kind words. It was such a great day. I still get those shivers thinking about it. I will definitely hop over to your place as well.
Mojo totally rocks.
Lee - And you as well!
Bibi - I didn't realize that. How awesome.
Starr - How many boxes of tissues did you go through on Tuesday? Don't tell me....but at least maybe it unstuffed your head and helped that awful headache you've been having. Hopefully!
Travis - Twice. It was an awesome day.
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