|
A POEM OF HOPE AND LIBERATION FROM A LEGACY OF SHAME
The Inauguration of Barack Obama marks the liberation from Bush's legacy of shame but it may only be a symbolic step unless Obama seizes the moment by restoring our constitution, reaffirming our just moral principles and cooperating with a rapidly uniting world: Allen L Roland
As I watched Barack Obama's Inauguration I felt a deep sense of liberation versus joy and hope. I was more conscious that I was celebrating the end of a Bush/Cheney legacy of shame ~ whose countless abuses of power have cast a dark shadow over both the presidency and the nation ~ then the inauguration of a new president.
I actually waved in derision when Cheney was wheeled into the waiting limousine and Bush was whisked away from the capitol in the Executive helicopter. I have worked long and hard for eight years pointing out the moral failures and abuses of this executive crime syndicate and I thoroughly enjoyed their moment of departure. Their karmic debt will be immense as the full extent of their crimes become known to the public.
Obama, as such, represents not only a needed change and hope but, more importantly, a symbolic step towards restoring both our tattered and shredded constitution and moral standing in the world to its former greatness.
Wall Street knows full well the Bush economic quagmire Obama faces as it fell 332 points today to close below 8000 on the Dow.
Obama's speech was a realistic overview ~ a first step towards facing the economic train wreck the Bush administration has left for him ~ but Obama's soaring rhetoric must soon be replaced by swift and determined action which will be both painful and unpopular to many.
Perhaps poetry is more appropriate at this time of hope ~ for poetry is the perfect blend of prose, feelings and music. The welsh are poets of the first order for their heartfelt verse is filled with harmony and music.
Wales' national poet Gillian Clarke has written just such a poem marking Barack Obama's inauguration as US president.
NEW YEAR, 2009
Venus in the arc of the young moon
is a boat in the arms of a bay,
the sky clear to infinity
but for the trailing gossamer
of a transatlantic plane.
The old year and the old era dead,
pushed burning out to sea
bearing the bones of heroes, tyrants,
ideologues, thieves and deceivers
in a smoke of burning money.
The dream is over. Glaciers will melt.
Seas will rise to swallow golden islands.
Somewhere a volcano may whelm a city,
earth shake its skin like an old horse,
a hurricane topple a town to rubble.
Yet tonight, under the cold beauty
of the moon and Venus, something like hope begins,
as if times can turn, the world change course,
as if truth can speak, good men come to power,
and words have meaning again.
Maybe black-hearted boys in love with death
won't blow themselves and us to smithereens.
Maybe guns will fall silent, the powerful
cease slaughtering the weak, the rich
will not gorge as the poor starve.
Hope spoke the word 'Yes', the word 'we', the word 'can',
and a thousand British teenagers at Poetry Live
rose to their feet in a single yell of joy ~
black, white, Christian, Muslim, Jew,
faithful and faithless. We are all in this together.
Ie. gallwn ni. (Yes, we can)
---------------------------------
Yes, we can ~ but as hope collides with reality and the status quo I remind you all that there is no change without action and action always involves risk. As such, the desire for real change is now palpable and Obama ignores it at his peril.
Allen L Roland http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/2009/01/20.html
Allen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on www.conscioustalk.net
Cartoon courtesy of Pat Oliphant / Washington Post
| 
