When I Went to Bed Last Night . . .

When I went to bed last night I was reading the final pages of my latest book, “Deciding the Next Decider” by Calvin Trillin. It is a humorous look at the 2008 presidential campaign (and subsequent election) through poetry. It seemed so fitting to be finishing my reading of it mere hours before our newest president, Barack Obama, was inaugurated.

What seemed even more fitting, was that the very last poem, had a subtle nod to Japan. The country I am currently calling home.

Obama spoke to thousands in Grant Park
About the road on which we’d now embark.
And many thought, as he described that walk,
Yes, here’s how presidents are meant to talk.
The TV showed the dancing and the cheers
And African Americans in tears.
And foreigners, from Rome to Yokohama,
Were cheering an American: Obama.
From this vote they were willing to infer
We aren’t the people they had thought we were.
And Lady Liberty, as people call her,
Was standing in the harbor somewhat taller.

When I woke up this morning, the inauguration had come and gone and Obama was making his way through his first day as President of the United States. I was proud to be an American today and so happy to see that so many of my Japanese acquaintances, colleagues, and friends here were just as filled with hope and optimism as I.

It should be an interesting four years. I think it is unlikely that Obama will ever be able to change as much as we all hope he can, but I do hope that he can continue to inspire all of us to make the America in reality look a little bit more like the America that we want it to be.

Posted on Wednesday, January 21st, 2009 at 7:33 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

One Response to “When I Went to Bed Last Night . . .”

  1. MOM (Virginia) says:

    It has been said Obama is our first global President; he will lead the world as much as us. On Inauguration Day, when I visited via the internet, Obama Japan, Kenya, South Africa, London, as easily as I went to Chicago, Minneapolis, LA, I realized that this was right. The feeling here is so unbelieveably good right now. We know the reality is daunting, but so is that glimpse into America’s soul he gives. Yes, we can.

Leave a Reply