blogging, posting, talking, promoting
sleeping, sleeping, get up!
shower, shave, to the polls quick quick!
~
walking, waiting, sitting, voting
voters in lines, people on corners, volunteer time!
snacking, reading, getting ready
driving, phoning, phoning, driving
to the polls! to the polls! lets swell the ranks!
~
“this is what the ballot looks like” & “this is how you vote”
& “how do you feel?” & “are you ready to do this?!”
~
young people, homeless people, old people, ex felons, to the polls to the polls
- you can vote!
driving, driving, north philly, south philly, west philly
at the polls at the booths. judge of elections, thick poll book.
blue curtains around a machine
inside lights red & bright. and then go!
Push the green button! Lights go dark,you’ve done it!
~
hurry hurry go go go!
theres more to vote!
~
sitting down, eating a snack, tired and worn,
“volunteer evaluation”, then
driving, driving home in philly.
~
We’re off then-! We’re off to school. lets watch the results tonight
lets eat some snacks and hold our breath.
CSPAN, FOX, CNN, MSNBC…wait…Canadian cpsan? calling the election?
fipping flipping through the channels. its true! obama! obama!
~
quick quick hurry hurry get out, lets shout!
phone call, home call, call those who care
west philly, center city and down town- beeping horns in the air
park the car, walk walk walk , join the crowd! join the fray!
~
Join the fray- its in the air! Dancing, Laughing, and shouting in the air
a parade of cars, wearing youth for jewlery, hanging, dangling in the night
Shouting yelling celebrating! Celebrating tonight in the streets.
Outstretched hands, hoarse throats, nervous police.
YES-WE-CAN! YES-WE-CAN! O-BA-MA! O-BA-MA!
This-is-what-democracy-looks-like! clap-clap-clap-cla-clap-clap-clap!
This-is-what-democracy-sounds-like! clap-clap-clap-cla-clap-clap-clap!
High fives all around, the outstretched fingers on cars wizzing by,
horns and pots and pans wake the night
~
a melody of sound, a medley of people
such a beautiful thing
drive, drive home its late
honk the horn 1 more time, 1 more time for the dispersing crowds
arriving, finally arriving home its late
lets go to bed, lets go to sleep
because now we know what democracy looks like!
-kd-
Filed under: Election 2008 | Tagged: celebration, democracy, Election 2008, obama, philadelphia
Thank you for voting.
I’ve never been so politically happy in all my life!
The WORLDS FIRST President Obama haiku.
*
Chessboard turns around
the rules of the game don’t change
different viewpoint.
I love how you described the frenzy and the beauty of it all!
I actually was quite stricken with emotion when watching his acceptance speech. Such an amazing feat, such a long time coming.
“a parade of cars, wearing youth for jewlery”
Well said!
Kevin,
I just read your post. I got goosebumps once again just like on the elections day. Although I’m not a US citizen, I feel truly inspired by the power of democracy your people demonstrated over the last elections. To me the importance of Obama’s victory, aside from the well-known reasons, is that it has already had or will have an immense motivational influence on nations (like my own country) struggling against authoritarian rules and aspiring for democratic freedoms. Viva democracy!
Best,
Vanine
Yerevan, Armenia.
Vanine, long time no see!! How have you been? Ever coming back to the states? (You should we have a good president now ^_^ )
Im glad you found the election uplifting, what is the current state of affairs in Armenia?
Currently Armenia has an illegitimate president who got “elected” by rigging the elections in February, shooting into the crowds of 1000s of demonstrators (among which- me) in March, killing 10 people and arresting 100s. As a result, we have 70 political prisoners, controlled electronic media and a new strict law of gatherings and rallies. But we’re struggling, not giving up. The society has seen a rise of a number of anti-dictatorship youth movements in the post-election period, Gandhi’s wisdom has been spreading and becoming more and more popular and the opposition has become more united and powerful. So, there’s still hope that things will change for the better.
Vanine, Im so sorry to hear that
I hope you stay safe, and I truly hope the movement for democracy gains traction and results in liberation…
take care vanine- it was really nice to hear from you!
P.s. tell your president he’s going to have to deal with me if things don’t straighten up!
also i have a question- do you desire foreign intervention?