Michael Jackson 1958-2009

Shock. Still can't believe it. Cardiac arrest. Michael Jackson.
Even with all the mess Michael went through in later years. I admit I hoped there would be US concerts, namely here in Dallas!

Memories. The fact my mom bought the Jackson 5's Third Album, with "I'll Be There" on it. She feared, her almost teen age daughter wasn't getting into the music of the day--or at all. She worried. Mom had me play the entire album over and over. I thought it was good-yet I had a thing about movie and play soundtracks--like 1968's Best Movie Oscar winner: "Oliver!" I BEGGED for that album. LOVED it.

Had a chance to see the Jackson 5 at the Iowa State Fair in 1971. Their hit "Maybe Tomorrow" was out. I wanted to go. My cousins were. Yet I decided to stay home. Even when Mom kept urging me otherwise. Why? Because I wanted to be with my mom as much as I could. She passed a month later.

Then the Victory Tour. Saw that in Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium. I paid an unheard of 40 bucks for my tickets. Some kind of lottery I think. Madness. Yet history. We sat so far back--yet didn't care. Saw Michael again --solo--this time, around 1988. Right before I moved to Dallas. Better seats. And I wonder how it would be to do coffee with him.

The world stopped when infant network MTV put itself on the map with the premier of the video "Thriller." WOW. We watched. Stunned. Magic. This guy had it ALL.

Then started different verses of Bubbles, the young boys, the Elephant Man bones, behavior, face, Michael Jackson's skin color and the bizarre situation of his children. We didn't want to believe the King of Pop was about to drown in his own mote.

The last years were not kind. Michael Jackson will forever be remembered for those horrid choices he made. Close to dim all the musical genius of his.

Michael Jackson had it all. On this day, I want to remember how it was before the spiral began. When the night of "Thriller," my friends and I were in bar--yapping how extraordinary it was, then the bar played it on the big screen--which was just a sheet on the wall--it was the 80's, you know. :) Once again, the world stopped.

Just like today.

May the troubled soul of Michael Jackson now find the peace now he search so long for.

Saturday

Wrote a poem today. Chums that know me just coughed and tried to catch their breath. See, I ain't a poet. Nope. Not no way. Not know how. A couple chums say I have a knack for it. I say, I feel good if the stuff rhymes. However, another chum who teaches college English tells me poetry isn't all about the rhyme.

Anyhoo, another chum, Zette, invited me to a Barack Obama Celebration. An afternoon of fun, food and fellowship at one of her in-laws' home. Which just was less than two miles from my bungalow. We could make a speech or read a poem while there. So I wrote my poem this morning and finished it at 12:30 this afternoon. Cats and a bowl of Cheerios with banana kept me happy. The title? "This Day" which I thought up as the celebration's hostess introduced me.

To say I was humbled to hear applause when I finished is an understatement. I've not read any poetry (which totals 2 poems) outside of my writer/critique group. I knew one person there today--Zette, so the other 40 or so became my new best friends. In fact, the caterer guy hooked me up with as much peach cobbler as I could take. And a man, who is a teacher asked me what I was going to do with "This Day" and how I was using my gift.

I just wanted peach cobbler, yet I realized God sends as many angels necessary and in many forms.

Maybe Tomorrow, one of my favorite songs, from the early 70's-maybe then I'll know more what the path God has in mind--in the meantime, let's hear alittle Jackson 5, when--well, they were the Jackson 5, before Thriller, before Bubbles, before plastic surgery