This Is About The Dream

This Is About The Dream

   

(1/20/09: The Inauguration of New Hope)

i am sitting in my chair, crying,
sobbing for my country; for so long
i have wept for her, watched her truth sullied and demeaned;
and i have wept, and wept, for lost hope.

but on this day, i am rising from my chair
and i am wiping away my tears of rage;
          yes, on this day America is rising
          from its bed of shame
          and wiping the sleep of denial
          from its eyes, startled into
          remembering the words of our forefathers
          and wondering how we have strayed so far.
for on this day the dream has reawakened
and on this day the liberty bell can be heard anew.

now, i am sitting in my chair with tears
of new hope dropping on my chest,
and i am rising from my chair with sobs
of profound pride swollen in my throat.

i can feel ringing the bells; they are throbbing
in my chest, they are echoing
            the cries of Paul Revere, they are
            calling the sleeping troops of freedom's army -
            and across this country the soldiers
            of america's promises are rising from their chairs as one,
            with their tools of renewal, the weapons
            of democracy's endless war on tyranny;
they are ready to answer the call, to rejoin the good fight,
to lift the load, to rebuild the roads, and to do what's right.

and yes, to raise their heads, again; to pray to their gods
that at last, the sleeper has arisen from the nightmare.

oh yes, i am sitting in my chair, now dreaming,
dreaming the dreams of 200 years, unchained.
and i am breathing deeply, looking into the eyes of our young,
suddenly agleam with the unaccustomed light of hope..
            it has been so long since our country has led,
            has called to them, and since they have answered with belief;
            belief that the promise can be kept,
            belief in the change to come, belief in the song, resung,
            with new notes, from Aretha's throat - Lady Liberty
            stands proud again above her harbor, reaching out, again.

because, today, on this day, i saw an eagle by the bridge;
today, i saw Lincoln try to rise from his chair;
i saw the dream, yes, the dream, finally delivered.