With apologies (actually, with gratitude) to Howard Thurman and to the framers of the Constitution, here is a bit of post-Election Day verse:
When the speeches of the campaign are
over,
When TV ads return to hawking Viagra and
dog food,
When the winners begin measuring the drapes for their new offices,
When the losers cry a bit and begin
plotting for next time,
When the election signs blow off into
the trees of vacant lots,
The work of democracy begins:
To form a more
perfect union,
To establish justice,
To insure domestic tranquility,
To provide for the
common defense,
To promote the
general welfare,
To secure the blessings
of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.
In case you don't recognize the inspirations for this poem, the first six lines are inspired by Howard Thurman's poem, "When the Song of the Angels is Stilled," which printed below. The last six lines are lifted directly from the Preamble to the United States Constitution.
"When
the Song of the Angels Is Stilled"
by Howard Thurman
