Obama: election day

A thin man comes along

Out of nowhere

A black man comes along

Out of everywhere

Against all odds

Comes along

Materializes young and whole

Out of our very selves.

He is saying what’s on the tip of our tied tongues

Finishing our tortured sentences

With possibilities

Of hope in a hopeless time.

This one

Understands

What we want

Some of what we want

Enough of a fraction of what we want

And need

To send us

Singing joyous alive tonight

Dancing in the streets with history

Embracing neighbors and strangers

All round the wounded world.

Impossible man

Made of dignity and calm.

Put your incredulous trust in him

Against your better reason

Extract it like a diamond from the dark column

Of your spine

Awed at yourself

Your doing this 

Polish and deposit it

Thankful

In the hands of this man.

Fiercely protect and challenge him.

Give him pieces of yourself

Friends

All of us common from Africa

Give him your gold-flecked little strengths

Give him air from your deep chest

Your stubborn beating heart

Turn your fists into working hands now.

                                 -- New York, November 2008