For those of you who read my "Tale of Two Romneys" with accompanying Explanation Notes. I am sentimental and strongly prefer writing uplifting poems! Below, is my inaugural poem for President Obama! I'm writing up my ideas behind this inaugural poem, click here to see how I wove together some visions I had while on Kool Aid j/k!
Here's a link to Other Inaugural Poems, Poets who have read at Presidential Inaugurations: Robert Frost for John F. Kennedy, Miller Williams for Bill Clinton, and Maya Angelou for B.O, yay!
This is something I wrote before the election (yikes! thank goodness I didn't jinx the outcome!) I was sleeping in bed dreaming of Gallup Polls, NBC Polls, Rasmussen Polls, CNN Poll of Polls, oversampling correction methods, how RealClearPolitics updates their website before CNN and how CNN didn't update their election polls on weekends (they call themselves "The Worldwide Leader in News"?), when I was dragged out of bed by some lines running through my head. Didn't really think that I should write this poem until after the election, but it had to come out anyway...Just had a chance to format it. Looking for a font that is more formal and presentation worthy than Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet, but less script than Monotype Corsiva, which is used below. Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Enjoy. =-)
***Generally, I let a poem sit for months or years, revising it until it sounds just so. However, with the Presidential Inauguration coming up in January, it didn't make sense to sit on this until next year. Thus, although I posted this days ago, it has gone through some revisions. Someone told me that my rhyme and rhythm was not up to par with what they are used to, see The Cataracts of Paradise (about the tallest waterfall is in the world). The Cataracts of Iguacu or Iguazu inspired this epic love poem. Back to the subject, so if you come back every now and then, this poem might be even better! The rest of the explanatory notes I hope to have posted by Dec. 11th.
Also, I agree with E.E. Cummings that formatting can be important to a poem. The spacing in my inaugural poem helps the readerknow where to pause on the first read. The formatting converts funky and I haven't been able to perfectly control the look of the poem on this website. I'll try to upload a PDF version if I can ever get it all figured out. Obviously, I am a dinosaur when it comes to computer technology, lol.
As a result of obsessing over the spacing, rhyme, rhythm, and meter, I keep having to upload new versions on Amazon, search for: "An Inaugural Poem for President Barack Obama" or click this link. At least however, the Amazon version maintains the spacing and formatting in the precise manner that actually makes the reading easier and more enjoyable.***
Remember, if you like the poem, reach out and touch someone! If you don't like it, leave a comment!
A Poem
Written in Honor of President Barack Obama’s Inauguration 2013
By Ssal
Nogard
One evening I stood facing
many roads both left and right.
They wound among themselves before me
with the pending night.
I peered closely but could not see
the path that each road ran.
Only that each path rose to
its neighboring distant height.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I stepped forward pressed by voices
that
refused to wait.
And saw a hand
extended filled
with lines of love
and hate.
I looked up into the
face of Battle
and of Destiny.
“Will you come with
me,” He said
“or will you go with
Fate?”
I took the Gentle Giant’s hand
and stepped
through the hazy gray,
and thought I heard
the laughter
of Ben Frank and Thom
J. along the way.
After two terms we
met a fork
that ran red along
both roads.
On each side were
countless voices
pressing me to stay.
The gentle giant nudged me forward
and
warned me not to wait.
I stumbled along the
reddened roads
Both marked
with love and hate.
Ahead I saw a face
whose hair
was ruddy from the roads.
His hand held out to
hasten me
before I
was too late.
No sooner did I take his hand,
then He was
gone again.
And saw he held me
steadfast on
the road’s most
uncertain bend.
I shifted as one road
descended
while the
other rose.
On each a Brother
thrust out a wound
that grew and refused to
mend.
Between the roads a woman lay
a blindfolded bound her head.
She lay as if she
slumbered through
the
blindfold dripping red.
Her scales were of the lightest touch
a whisper broke the balance
The slightest swing on either side
changed who came out ahead.
“There is no justice,” did the Blind Lady
state
with Warranty.
“For even with my
blindfold 'tis
near
impossible to see.
There is no power
equal to:
the strong who shield
the poor.”
And that is the most
that justice
without sight can
guarantee.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The brothers were bound more tightly
than
the many winding roads.
No matter how Great
the Burden,
the
brothers shared their loads.
Their scars seared
brightly to their skin
sewn from
each others’ Bondage,
Woven from great
Ideas--and lapses--
into
canons, laws and codes.
Across the Eastern waters:
the New Order was deftly wrought.
Beyond the Western
sea:
the lands of which
our Fathers sought.
But finding Something in between
Our forefathers stopped to rest.
Go West young man, go
west,
was Then, and Now our
greatest thought.
The brothers’ bonds stretched slowly,
yet
never did they snap.
They flexed their
newfound strength with hands
that drew a New
World Map.
The bonds broke in
striations
that kept our voices taut.
Even as it seemed some voices,
were still
helplessly entrapped.
The voices on each side
clamored fiercely to be
heard.
Above the din there
came a cry
of one
solitary word.
The Word was heard by
all except
to each the sound
was different.
Each sister spoke
the same word,
But the sound still felt absurd.
With His face turned to all roads,
He walked
with easy gait
on our winding road
that split
three dozen
times plus eight;
with Bright Eyes and Brighter Smile,
He
offered me his hand:
“Will you go with me
he,” He asked,
“Or will you
go with Fate?”
I took his hand and saw the roads
blocked by the
Hand of Fate.
On her palm the tears
of love
drowned out the
lines of hate.
The Halls of Justice
are not built
within
a single day.
With luck their
expanse will never end,
Yet United,
We can wait.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~
© 2012 by Ssal Nogard of the CRAZIANS
Four More Years, Yay!
Will be posting a Jack Handy's "Deep Thoughts" Analysis soon. A cannot miss! ;-)
Hey, we got someone on the Continent reading this now. Don't you people ever sleep? lol.
Keep in mind that if you pass this along to your friends and lots of peeps like it, then I might, just might be invited to read this at President Obama's inauguration in January! lulz!
Need an Explanation? What on earth does this poem mean? Click here for Part I!
Part II, Explanation of Inaugural Poem for Obama.
Part III. Author's Notes on Inaugural Poem 2012
Part IV Explanatory Notes, Meaning Behind Inaugural Poem
Friend me on Facebook to get the Inaugural Poem 2013 for Obama out!
Click here to watch Maya Angelou's inaugural poem for Obama in 2008
Click here is Maya's poem.
Some background to Maya Angelou's Inaugural Poem
Here's another inaugural poem by Elizabeth Alexander: Praise Song for the Day
The Huffington Post compares past Inaugural Poems
My Inaugural Poem for President Obama on Amazon. Be the Very SECOND to Buy it, lol!
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MY OTHER WRITINGS:
What I Said When I saw Salvador Dali's Metamorphosis of Narcissus
 |
| Metamorphosis of Narcissus by Salvador Dali |
PrincessBoo Wakes Up on the Wrong Side of the Bed
Wow. Brilliant. Obama is going to be proud. Plus all those other works. I'm amazed at the fantastic accomplishments of this poet.
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