So Sunday

Barak is in the Bible.

Yes, he is. And no, I didn't know. Not until this morning's service at Friendship West Baptist Church from Pastor Freddy Haynes. My mouth dropped. Take a look in Judges 4:6-16. There was Deborah, a phophet AND a judge (folks probably hated on her) sent for Barak. Deborah informed Barak God commanded him to prepare for battle at Mount Tabor. with Sisera, who had oppressed the children of Israel for twenty years. Deborah herself would make sure Barack won the battle.

Yesterday, I attended a celebration for Barack Obama's presidential victory. We could offer a few words if moved, including poems and essays. I consider myself no poet. And the only folks who have read or heard my poetry (all 2 of poems) has been my critique group. More of a short fiction kinda girl I am. Yet, I wrote "This Day" about four hours before I read it before the group.

And Barak in the Bible? He won. With help from God, his soldiers and a woman. Hmm. History repeated itself on November 4, 2008 with another Barack.

This Day

November 4, 2008 was a day
When 14 million more people
Than before ventured to the polls
To make sure they had their say.

It was time for decision
To choose the nation’s new leader,
A Commander in Chief who they prayed
Really did share their own vision.

Would the choice be of Arizona’s John McCain?
Prisoner of War and a man labeled a true maverick?
Yet more often than not, words he chose
Were sought in desperation, sick and inflected pain.

Would the choice be of Illinois’ Barack Obama?
Who resembled none of nation’s past Commanders,
Also a true maverick for through storms, he proved calm, cool
He was nobody’s fool.

All over this land from the Atlantic to Pacific Ocean
More people than history has ever seen,
Of every color, of every creed had their notion
To stand in lines long, to cast their vote and then to wait.

For confirmation November 4, 2008 would be the day
Barack Obama was elected our 44th President of these United States
A Black Man, not to serve those inside the White House, but
Elected to be a servant of the people, by the people, for the people.

This is our day.

©2008

We are blessed.

...And Now We Wait

The votes are now being tallied. I plan to pop some corn, curl with a cat, and wait....and oh, did I mention, pray? Regardless of this outcome, History unfolds before us.

I remember when Nixon resigned. My then best friend and I, were at Iowa State University, for a week long high school year book How To seminar, (to look back, we were 16 and had NO business being alone on a college campus with college age kids--yet, I digress). We sat and watched Richard Nixon, the first president to resign. My then best friend said, "We're watching history."

Barack Obama's grandmother passed a day before the election. She didn't live long enough to witness if her grandson would be elected to the highest seat in the land. Then I realized, his grand mother may have known. How this night would turn out. That it was OK for her to rest then be refreshed as she walked with angels. Maybe...just maybe..."Toot" knew it was all ready done.

Tonight, we're watching History again. Just wait a little while longer...

VOTE

Have you early VOTED?

I did so after my monthly HTW Writers' Group today. The HTW stands for 'Honor the Words.-When all is said and done-all we have are words.

On November 5th, 2008, Words: spoken and written will describe why your candidate did or not reign victorious.

Honor the words on your ballot. Early vote through Oct 31. If not, then make sure you're at your precinct on November.

VOTE. It's an Honor. It's your Right.

History

History.
My great great grandparents: Enos, born 1814 and Louisa, born 1825. Slaves in Virginia. Not that far from Washington DC. Their son, Elias also my great grandfather, and his son, Andrew, my grandfather, both lived in Washington DC for a time. Did they wonder if justice and equal for all would ever touch them? Did they wonder how life would be better for their future family? Did they wonder if they would ever cast votes? Let their voices be heard? Respected as men and woman--and not less than live stock? Did they wonder if someone Black would walk the hallways of the White House that was not a servant? For that person to hold highest position in the land, with the world as its audience?
I'm sure they did. Optimism runs in my family.
History.
It's still being made.

Headlines....What's Love Got to Do With It?

I watched a bit Meredith’s interview, this morning on Today, with a long-together married couple with children. To me, the couple were so into each other. They held hands. The way the wife gazed at her man. When the husband admitted he got embarrassed when she praised him, and cut her off. And when she repeated, ‘I am proud of you.” He beamed. They’ve been through a lot these past few months, including just recently. You knew the husband was tired of questions about clergy. The wife held her man’s hand throughout. That was nice.

Oh, and did I say the husband just happens to be running for president?

Barack and Michelle Obama. Good to them together. To talk. To share. I liked it.

Whatever happens in November, history’s paint is already over the pages.

A black man and a woman—two of most oppressed groups in our nation’s history—are on the cusp of holding the highest post in the land. A land, that once upon a time, sold his ancestors as if they were livestock. Forbid him to be a man. A land that still didn’t permit her vote until the 20th century and still doesn’t have a paycheck as much as her male counterpart.

History is being made.

Today, I saw a couple, despite their experiences-good and bad- are still into each other.

That was nice.