CBS | Poemattic: Poetry and Art for the Soul

Just 90 days more – Is it, it is what it is, or is it?

Posted on 5 Aug 2020 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

Last night as I watched the special program on CBS honoring the late congressman, “John Lewis: Celebrating a Hero” — a collection of interviews, reports and musical tributes celebrating the congressman’s legacy, I felt like my soul was being cleansed. The helplessness I feel when I see and hear about what COVID-19 does to human beings started easing up a bit. And yesterday to add insult to injury we had to deal with a ravaging storm that left a lot of damage on the east coast. Hope came alive. I felt strong again. The water and powerful wind gusts took my fears with it. I am ready to fight for what is right and for the truth.

John Lewis was a believer and was a man full of hope and joy. I could not help but to sing along with Jennifer Hudson. ( Not that could ever be in her chorus) Her magnificent rendition of one of my old time favorite songs “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” transported me to a time when people knew when to speak up. These lyrics are so appropriate to help ease the pain we are all going through right now:

“When you’re down and out
When you’re on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you
I’ll take your part, oh, when darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down”

The program was uplifting and inspirational. Oprah Winfrey ended the program by citing from a letter that John Lewis wrote where he gave us our “marching orders”. We cannot give up and give in. We must continue to fight for equality and fairness. Time is of essence. We have 90 days to make historic and gloriful changes in our society.

We must make sure that democracy wins. We know democracy works. Let us make it work for all of us. Our vote is the most powerful tool we have and every vote will count. Do not let yourself be discouraged or fooled into thinking that one less vote will not make a difference. Deaths and illness as a result of a pandemic that has not been dealt with in the most efficient way cannot be labeled with “It is what it is”. It is however unexceptable. Make John Lewis proud. Make Dr. Martin L. King’s dream live on by making sure the Voting Rights Act is restored.

https://news.yahoo.com/whip-clyburn-push-pass-john-161333064.html

To honor John Lewis is to continue to make “good trouble”. We are all seeing what is wrong and so we must “say something”. We must all cross the mighty bridge of democracy together. But we also need more like John Lewis to be the bridges. God bless America.

Do not forget to leave a comment. It means so much to me.

Note: “John Lewis: Celebrating a Hero” is produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment in association with CBS News. Winfrey and Perry also serve as executive producers.

Poetry

The House We Live In – My apologies to Frank Sinatra

Posted on 4 Jul 2019 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

I have been wrestling with how to celebrate July 4th (243rd Birthday of America) with a poem. I recently heard Amanda Gorman, the National Youth Poet Laureate recite her Independence Day poem: Believer’s Hymn of the Republic on CBS. She will perform it again tonight accompanied by the Boston’s Pops Symphony playing the “Battle Hymn of the Republic”. She became my inspiration.

I also remembered a song by Frank Sinatra my father loved and would play all the time called “The House I Live In”. I became a little sad and thought about what my dad would say about what is happening in our country these days.The country he loved so much. Both songs helped me compose my poem.