Election Day, November 1884

Old Walt

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p>Old Walt Whitman
Went finding and seeking,
Finding less than he sought
Seeking more than found,
Every detail minding
Of the seeking or the finding.

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p>Pleasured equally
In seeking as in finding,
Each detail minding,
Old Walt went seeking
And finding.

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p>Democracy

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p>Democracy will not come
Today, this year
Nor ever
Through compromise and fear.

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p>I have as much right
As the other fellow has
To stand
On my two feet
And own the land.

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p>I tire so of hearing people say,
Let things take their course.
Tomorrow is another day.
I do not need my freedom when I’m dead.
I cannot live on tomorrow’s bread.

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p>Freedom
Is a strong seed
Planted
In a great need.

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p>I live here, too.
I want freedom
Just as you.

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p>I, Too

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p>I, too, sing America.

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p>I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

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p>Tomorrow,
I’ll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody’ll dare
Say to me,
“Eat in the kitchen,”
Then.

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p>Besides,
They’ll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed–

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p>I, too, am America.

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p>—————
Poems by Langston Hughes

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p>Cheers to CMD. I wish you an enjoyable evening as well. I know CMD echoes the pessimism of a number of people, but there’s no reason that tonight can’t be an enjoyable night for anyone who is not rabidly anti-Obama, even the pessimists.

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p>(Fingers crossed for Stewart and Colbert greatness.)