A Poem for the Ages

"Because I Could Not Stop for Death"

By Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death
He kindly stopped for me.
The Carriage held but just Ourselves
And Immortality.

We slowly drove – He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility.

We passed the School, where Children strove
At Recess – in the Ring.
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain.
We passed the Setting Sun.
Or rather – He passed us.

The Dews drew quivering and chill.
For only Gossamer, my Gown,
My Tippet – only Tulle.
We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground.

The Roof was scarcely visible,
The Cornice – in the Ground.
Since then – 'tis Centuries, and yet
Feels shorter than the Day.

I first surmised the Horses' Heads
Were toward Eternity.

WHY IS OBAMA SITTING DOWN??!!!!

He's been the president for two weeks.
Where's the change?
Why are we still at war??
Why are people still unemployed???
Why isn't money falling from the sky????
Why aren't all the houses in America made of gingerbread and candy?????

Most Presidents are given a little time, say 100 days, to get their footing, find out where the executive bathroom is and start talking strategy and policy with the people who talk about such things. But President Obama hasn't been given that courtesy. Rabidly angry conservatives are already clamoring to be the first to say, "See, I told you so. He's a liar. He's a fraud. He's an empty suit." "Where are the results?!" they scream. But, of course, these are the types of people who are used to being afraid for their very lives. Bush/Cheney victimized them into thinking that they wouldn't be safe in their homes without constitutional breaches and violations of American's rights (that's OK by me since they're only picking on those dark skinned people with names like Habib, right?)

I look at the photo above and I see a man who is calm - assured - confident. I imagine the Obama haters (ie. Bush/Cheney sympathizers) look at that same photo and think to themselves, "Why is he sitting down? Why isn't he pacing around the Oval Office and turning over the couch cushions looking for the Axis of Evil? Oh, Lord have mercy, are we all going to die?"

You know what I call that photo? A welcome change!