Lit Think

For my five year old son…. (written 1/22/09)

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The Baker and Barack

My son is curled within my lap
weary from dreams he was
hauled out of to participate
in this first inauguration
that matters to each of us

he is waiting for three words
at five, already a baker
impassioned by the smells
of savory and sweet rising
he wants to cook for the world

he needs to hear from his
beautiful hero, first president
partner in the morning dream
one plan – that they will
feed the hungry, together

he waits through the oratory
for this one promise
of a new dawn

Here is Ciara’s (age 10) inaugural poem, written this morning…

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Bringers of Love: An inaugural poem
by Ciara A. Cheli-Colando
1/22/09

Once upon a time.
Such magical words
whether it ends in
not so long ago or
a very long time ago,
those words have such power,
they are doors into another world.

Imagine if a hundred years or so later,
a mother might be telling her children
the story of Barack Obama’s presidency,
starting with those wonderful words,
“Once upon a time, a hundred years ago…”
Soon I hope that the words
will be told with such love,
that the USA will have the highest rate of love;
and when that happens,
I will glory in it.

This day is full of countless good things,
but the ones I notice most are Joy and Love.
Joy that we are free again,
Love for the bringers of Freedom and Love.
And those bringers are not just the presidential family,
they are each and everyone of us.
We too are the bringers of Love.
We too made this happen.

Look in the mirror and see yourself,
a bringer of the supreme being: Love.

On Childlit (children’s literature professional list serv) there has been some discussion of the inaugural poem, Praise Song for the Day, written by Elizabeth Alexander.

I think it is hard to write an inaugural poem to be read to billions of people, on a cold day, with funny amplification… not really my idea of fun. But I thought it would be an interesting experiment to write my own inaugural poem, and encourage my children to do the same. Anyone care to join in, and share your own poetic hopes for the new Presidency and the coming years? We’ll post ours in the next few days, as we get a chance to write…