Monday, January 19, 2009

Not the worst day of the year

The BBC says today is 'the most depressing day of the year'. 'Weather, debt, time since Christmas, time since failing our New Year's resolutions, low motivational levels and the feeling of a need to take action' are the culprits apparently.

It took me nearly 2 hours to get to work, and I arrived with cold wet feet and a headache after Northern line chaos and then had to get all my stuff out of a crate because we'd moved offices, I haven't been paid for weeks and I hate all my winter clothes, but...

It's George Bush's last day in office and Barack Obama is sworn in tomorrow!

So even though I am still scared to the point of tears that some crazy racist bigot who thinks he's the antichrist because he's gifted, brave, thoughtful, liberal and mixed race will try to kill him,

these aren't tears of despair, they're tears of hope on my face.

Lift up your faces, you have a piercing need
For this bright morning dawning for you.

History, despite its wrenching pain,
Cannot be unlived, and if faced
With courage, need not be lived again.

Lift up your eyes upon
The day breaking for you.

Give birth again
To the dream.

Women, children, men,
Take it into the palms of your hands.

Mold it into the shape of your most
Private need. Sculpt it into
The image of your most public self.
Lift up your hearts
Each new hour holds new chances
For new beginnings.

Do not be wedded forever
To fear, yoked eternally
To brutishness.

The horizon leans forward,
Offering you space to place new steps of change.
Here, on the pulse of this fine day
You may have the courage
To look up and out upon me, the
Rock, the River, the Tree, your country.

No less to Midas than the mendicant.

No less to you now than the mastodon then.

Here on the pulse of this new day
You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister's eyes, into
Your brother's face, your country
And say simply
Very simply
With hope
Good morning.

Maya Angelou, Inaugral Poem ( extract)

3 Comments:

Blogger Vanessa said...

If only we can keep him safe from the religious extremists with their barking theories that he's the anti-christ and the racists who would rather have elected a Republican than see a black man in power, I think the inauguration of Barack Obama with all his potential is a positive move for all of us.

January 20, 2009 10:24 am  
Blogger Unknown said...

Funny but as I woke up this morning, I remember dreaming that I had found a universal constant. Everything changes except the Northern Line. Its chaos holds the entire universe together. Then I read your post, which seems to prove me right!

January 20, 2009 1:20 pm  
Blogger Unknown said...

hi rachel,

its a bright clear cold but sunny day here in ny. in two hours,barack obama will be the new president of the united states. bush will be on his way to texas-hopefully permanently.

theres also a cease-fire in gaza.

hopefully better day are ahead.

im going to go watch the inauguration on a big tv at a friends office.

later.

January 20, 2009 3:05 pm  

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