I wasn’t there to see the dogs let loose <br />Or the people bombarded, and told what’s the use. <br />I never saw them give their speech of dreams <br />Or hear the words personally, by any means. <br />Never stood on the front lines <br />Saying we shall overcome but, was one of a million people <br />Who saw this moment come. <br />Screaming yes we can! And yes we will! <br />We were the ones who made our predecessors dreams come real. <br />With the coldest days, it was warm as could be <br />This day was marked with joyful empathy. <br />When he arrived so proud, so tall <br />He hardly spoke a word of one <br />But together were all, and if not cared for <br />Then together well fall. <br />No I didn’t get to see the great Martin Luther King <br />Or stand on the lines, <br />No I wasn’t there to look <br />“X” in the eyes <br />Or even sit next to Rosa as she was denied. <br />But I like to believe now, that they all are smiling <br />Saying, maybe to each other, how’s that for timing? <br />No I wasn’t a real civil rights activist <br />In the times of times <br />But I’m just twenty and that was some time ago. <br />However I did get to see <br />Most of their dreams to come. <br />A black man named president <br />Leading the throne. <br />I was there first hand <br />To make a chance to believe <br />To cast a vote or bleed. <br />And I watched first hand <br />As he made us believe, “yes we can” <br />And together were one, <br />I was there to see him win <br />Not by a little but a great margin. <br />Then I was there, in the warm blistering cold <br />To see him solemnly swear to be the best man, anywhere. <br />And as the world watched <br />I could only think. <br />By any means <br />Is this what they had in mind <br />When they spoke of having a dream.<br /><br />T.y Holland<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/i-wasn-t-there-to-obama/
