Emancipation
I was at 652 when the votes rolled down like a mighty river
Old Man River
Let us gather at the river where bright angel feet have trod
Between the brats and the coleslaw
Hot dogs lie limp in their pinky juice the old familiar chip and dip
And beer let me get you a beer
How many times have we been here, hoping,
Never stop believing in the ultimate perfection of man
Familiar place of joy and sorrow, rallies and speeches, so much
Over so many years, it never changes,
Walls hang with dead old heroes in Big Frames,
Robert, Martin, and John, Walter Reuther and Sam Fishman
Working faces look up and see Wolf at the door
Tenured East Lansing liberals and UAW, rubbing shoulders,
Faux foofoo and grease under the fingernails,
Ideologues and working stiffs,
And a few of the usual suspects hang out for the excitement
CNN we gotta have it, tell it like it is
Oh, God Almighty, Praise Jesus, Never thought I'd see the day,
Is is real?
And me from Whiteytown bear witness, bear witness,
Wolf, you keep on talking
And I held her tight as she shook and tears flowed like a river down
Her black face; collapsing on me, melting, human, what should I do
But hold her tight and wonder at what have I seen
In this old place and in this time
Elinor Holbrook
May, 2010
