An Open Christmas Day Letter to First Lady Michelle Obama (Short Form)

Yes! I did get to the Inauguration from morning to night! I was at the swearing-in ceremony as well as the official Inaugural Balls! More to come!

As you might have read, my original An Open Christmas Day Letter to President Obama was in typical Ssal "Long Form", also known as "long-winded" by my pals. I don't think it would be appropriate to mention to President Obama the fact that I gave up a fruit smoothie (two, if you count the buy-one-get-one-free coupon that expired on Nov. 6, 2012), for he might think I am valuing him at only a little more than one or two fruit smoothies (but Burger King advertises them as REAL FRUIT)!


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December 30, 2012

First Lady Michelle Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20500

RE: Inaugural Poem

Dear First Lady,

Enclosed is an Inaugural Poem that I wrote for President Obama. No one asked me to do it. It just came to me (and wouldn’t go away until I wrote it out). Eventually, words came to me and I wrote them out. It does not have a title yet. I call it “A Poem Written in Honor of President Barack Obama’s Inauguration 2013.”

You should know that I have never done anything political in my life. After traveling to Las Vegas for a few days to make phone calls and drive voters to the polls on Election Day, I completed this poem for the President. It starts with an American standing at the juncture of many roads, which are the pathways of America. A gentle giant, George Washington, holds out his hand to the traveler, asking her: "Will you go with me, or will you go with Fate?" Along the way, the traveler hears the voices of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, wise leaders in whom Americans have placed their faith.

As the traveler lets go of Washington's hand, Abraham Lincoln extends his hand to the uncertain traveler. The traveler takes Lincoln's hand believing that one Union was better than two. The next part tells of America’s ascendancy after the Civil and World Wars, while never forgetting minorities, the disabled, homosexual, and marginalized groups, whose voices at times, seem unheeded.

At the end, the traveler faces a road that splits "three-dozen times plus eight." That's 44 by the way, for your husband. As the other presidents before him, President Obama offers his hand, asking America: "Will you go with me or will you go with Fate?" There doesn't have to be an exclusive choice between choosing his vision for America and fate, for in America's history and in this inaugural poem, the bonds of brotherhood have strengthened despite, or perhaps because of, belief in different ideologies. So long as we cherish freedom and justice, America's future will be prosperous.

I hope your husband enjoys the gift of this poem; it was written from the heart. If you have not already figured out, the point of this letter is: The President Is Loved So Very Much By So Many People That He Will Never Know.  I wish him a productive second term, and like so many Americans, I remain

Faithfully yours,

Ssal Nogard

Enclosure: Inaugural Poem for President Obama, Please Forward

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My Other Writings:


My Take on Salvador Dali's Metamorphosis of Narcissus

Metamorphosis of Narcissus by Salvador Dali at the Tate Modern

A Tale of Two Romneys


Inaugural Poem for President Barack Obama's Second Inauguration 2013


Led Zeppelin's Houses of the Holy Lyrics Continued...


The Cataracts of Iguacu (Foz de Iguazu)


Princess Boo Wakes Up On the Wrong Side of the Bed, Children's Poetry