PRES. OBAMA'S INAUGURATION IN VERSE

One-twenty-“O”-nine
Six-layer dresses were worn.
Souls braved the long hours.

There were throng of people in Washington D.C. They came everywhere…from coast to coast. They braved the freezing cold before a rooster crows. Many covered even their brows. They were there to witness the President's Inauguration.

I woke up at 5 am here in California. Eyes focused on the wide-screen. I waited while sipping a piping hot black coffee in my den. I was anxious to witness the reality of the clerihew I wrote during the campaign.

Presenting to you, Barack Obama
Blah…blah…endorsed by our beloved, Oprah
African, Caucasian, Indonesian… (?)… Oh, well, American
If he’d win, the face at the oval office would historically change, man!

Mabuhay! ( Long-live!), the first colored US president. Like anybody else, I am proud to address you as Mr. President. His early exposure to different culture definitely makes him a caring, keen, well-rounded man. I am not sure if others would consider me as smart or judicious man, because I could not control myself but to drop any word qualifier and just call the 44th US President an American.

What is U.S.A?
Surely, it’s a melting pot.
Not all men are white.

It showed in the crowd. Different colors were in D.C; they’re behavior were very good. What I didn’t see was the color of cherry blossoms, but I know, for sure, it will pop up on the banks of the Potomac River sometime in spring.

It was announced that the President attended a church service at St. John’s. No worries! I enjoyed watching people, anyways. They patiently waited in line for the much-needed security posts. Their excitement to be part of this inaugural history overpowered the freezing cold and sneezes.

Then…

Brrmm…went the sound.
The motorcade has begun.
Lincoln sat to wait.

Blue and red beaming police bikes with sirens led the convoy. I didn’t hear the sirens on TV, but I was pretty sure they were loud to warn spectators never to try. A new black limousine was among them. Inside were the outgoing and the incoming US Presidents.

Cheering crowd? Millions!
Buntings waved! They’re like the waves.
Sea of humans…’twas!

I saw smiling faces. I saw frowning kids. They perched on their dads’ shoulder. They were there to say in the future, “I witnessed a president’s history in the making.”

I saw raise-the-roof being made. I heard hollers and yelps. I heard highly-charged comments. Everyone was hoping for a positive result. Everyone needs a breather amidst the world's tumult.

(c) Edmund Melig Industan, 2009

NOTE#1: 2nd installment to be posted tomorrow.

NOTE#2: A gift book, PRAISING ALL SEASONS LONG: Haiku Verses, can be purchased now on Comfort Publishing's online store. Price is just $9.99, cheaper than a dozen roses and a very good gift to those needing comfort, encouragement, and affirmation that, despite uncertainties and challenges in life, God is still in control of everything.

FIRST MIXED RACE U.S. PRESIDENT

It would still be monumental and historic to say that the 44th President of the USofA is a mixed race and not be labeled solely as African-American. In fact, it would be more fitting to the American society. Why? I tell you why.

It would mitigate race relation and racial divide. It is a non-domineering term. It embodies the real USofA as a melting pot. It symbolizes the real democratic country populated by migrants. It helps everyone to identify and, hopefully, unite with, and support Obama administration as it faces challenges in solving pressing problems. It brings hope and aspiration to everybody.

As we probably have known already, the term African-American was revitalized in the late 1980s to replace the term, Afro-American, a self description popularized by the black community in 1960s. The former is well-accepted by many, because it does not send a picture of nappy hair. However, others, like the Haitian, who are of African descent, would not identify themselves as such. Haitian still prefers to be called black. Some members of the African-American community, like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. have described this as America's "hypocrisy". And so until now the 1944 classic study of Swedish economist, Gunnar Myrdal, on the American Dilemma still exist.

It is true that the 44th President of the United States of America has an African father; however, he has a Caucasian mother, and an Indonesian step-dad. He is not only an African-American. He is a United Nation, personified. That's one thing, besides his smartness, confidence, youthfulness, and intelligence, that made him very attractive to everybody. Remember, more than 50% of those who voted for Barack Obama were Caucasian. And Asian have voted for him, too.

I just hope that the media and, Barack Obama himself, would start using the term mixed race, so that the incoming administration can truly represent equality and indivisibility among the citizens of the United States of America.