BARACK OBAMA: my hope
(Jae C. Hong/Associated Press)
Congratulations to Barack,
He has his cherished prize;
But at a time in history
That brings tears to our eyes.
He's captain of a ship that is,
Regardless what you think,
So full of holes allowing leaks,
They could cause it to sink.
The people of the world are split
Along so many lines,
Humanity could self-destruct;
We can't ignore the signs.
Our trusted god Economy
Is in the ICU.
Her health may not return despite
What 'doctors' try to do.
Our life support is under stress
So much that it could break;
And we use time to fight about
Repairs we need to make.
He says he's going to bring you change,
A goal that you all cheer,
Until you learn you must give up
Some views that you hold dear.
I wish him well and truly hope
The prize that should be gold,
Is not an anchor with a chain
You've given him to hold.
Barack obama: attack on greed
Barack Obama: a cautionary view
Barack Obama: fighting for change
Barack Obama: victory speech
Barack Obama: inauguration day
Barack Obama: professing change
Barack Obama: sacrificing lives
Barack Obama: healthcare
Barack Obama: his Gulf oil war
Barack Obama: winning the future
Tuesday, November 4, 2008 at 05:23PM
Reader Comments (27)
You are so full of false hope. It kills real hope.
Astounding that no one realizes how much of a farce this man is.
I thought America would pull through.
I'm glad most of Texas did.
Its harder to shake our core beliefs.
Was Bush perfect? No.
And what, just because the war is slowly progressing we shouldnt fight it?
We should just give up.
Pathetic.
Just fucking pathetic.
Go to goddamn canada if you're going to spout that kind of liberal bullshit.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You either quit reading at the end of the title or you can't read. Either way you are a hazard to humanity and I hope an embarrassment to most of your fellow Americans; but thanks for your comment. Doug.E.Barr
It's the attitude of the boat with leaky holes I think that annoys me. As a fervent Republican, I made a change and did vote Obama. But I think we ALL just need a change of attitude right now. The constant berating of our current Commander and Chief has been unbelievable. Oh Obama, will you save us? Will you be able to shine as bright as we've made you out to be? Come on. Right a poem on how we need to come together to encourage and respect our leaders...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If I am forced to base my scientific survey on this sample of two comments I will have to conclude Republicans can't understand English sentences. I think it was yesterday that President elect Barack Obama stated on national television that "We are in a crisis from which we may not recover." My guess is he would agree that his "ship" has leaks. If I wrote a poem "to encourage and respect" G.W., Americans would give it less than 20% approval rating. Read "Together" Doug.E.Barr
Yeah, go to Canada, because that "liberal bs" has really hurt them.
Canada is in such terrible shape, ya know.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Liberal BS" and Conservative BS pollute the life support system of humanity equally. Anyone excreting these beliefs contributes to our self-destruction. You moved us closer to that end. Doug.E.Barr
Yes, go to Canada, we can't have that kind of free speech and independent thought here in America!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am not sure whether I am being told to go to Canada as in get lost or get free. Whatever, to end the confusion my web address is www.thelastwhy.ca. For the uninformed the .ca stands for Canada. I am already here. Doug.E.Barr.
nice poem, the other people who have commented seem to have missed the sarcasm. I'm afraid we may have given him an anchor afterall, though.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In my dictionary sarcasm means: "the use of bitter or wounding...remarks". Thus according to my dictionary there are no sarcastic statements in this poem. There are only statements of facts. However, because you understand my hope is not Barack Obama but only that he has not been given an anchor to hold, you diminish somewhat the despair caused by the previous comments. Thank you. Doug.E.Barr
Well written poem Doug. I too voted for Sen. Obama. The only beef I have with him so far is that he is too much like Sen. McCain for our country's own good. I do take solace, however in the fact that by electing Barack, we showed the world that we are not a perfect nation, but we're paying attention and we're trying (at least half of us are.) As for the Republicans who commented above, you are as incompetent with language and etiquette as our current commander in chief is at his job. As it turns out, liberals, whom you claim hate freedom are the only ones standing up and calling for personal freedoms to be restored. See you around, losers.
Ben
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for your support. I actually feel sorry for your presidents. Americans expect them to work miracles. The most Canadians hope for is that their Prime Ministers don't screw up. Doug.E.Barr
That slime ball Bob Dylan wrote and sang a song a long time ago that told only part of the story. Remember,( the times they are a changin). What he didn't sing was the times would be changin for the worst, and they have. Obama isn't going to make things better.The problem is to big for him or anybody else to handle.The only being who could tend to this MESS they hung on a cross 2,000 years ago.A final question is this,when was the last BLACK LEADER anybody remembers that was a problem solver????? hmmmmmmmmm
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You are right. "Obama isn't going to make things better." alone; and part of the problem are those who think the one "...they hung on a cross 2,000 years ago." can. You have had 2000 years "to make things better." and you have instead helped change them "for the worst". One idea that Obama has might help. He proposes to improve the American educational system. It is probably too late for 5 of the 7 people who have commented here but teaching current students how to think can't come soon enough. It is the only way to "tend to this Mess." Doug.E.Barr
I am a staunch republican, and I voted for John McCain. Obama is much to socialist for me liking. And for the record, George W. Bush is one of the most intelligent men i have ever met. I do not agree with everything he has done, but i can say that he has made my country much safer. See, Bush stands up for what he believes. He has a backbone, unlike Obama. When the going gets rough, he refuses to change his mind just because people dont like it. You have no right to put down Bush for his military decisions until the Defense briefings he saw on a daily basis are release for public viewing. Also, in the last 8 years, two things have taken place that our last president, Bill Clinton, could have prevented. He had several opportunities to capture Osama Bin Laden and refused to do so. Had he captured Bin Laden, the 9/11 terrorist attacks would not have happened. Secondly, Bill Clinton deemed it necessary to make it so every American could own a house. This resulted in Loan companies being forced to give loans to people who could not afford to pay them back. Which resulted in the economic recession. So, Mr. Canada, before you criticize our country, take a look at your own. Your failed socialized medicine plan. Why are so many Canadians coming to America for healthcare??? Could it be because our healthcare system is the best in the world?? I THINK SO. If you have a problem with America, become a citizen and do something about it. Until then, keep out of American business and tend to your own country's FAILURES!!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hesitated to respond to your comments because at first glance none of them have any apparent connection with the facts in my poem; but after a moment of irritation I decided to make a connection between your comments and my verse about the "ship...so full of holes". As I said to rocky, the previous commenter, soon to be President Obama identified education as a serious "hole" and you are another one who has clearly fallen through.
Here is one fact you don't know. The adjective staunch comes from the verb staunch which means "to stop the flow of blood from a wound." When it is used to describe a religious/philosophical position it means stop the flow of blood to the brain. Staunch Republican, staunch Democrat, staunch Christian, staunch Muslim are all the same. They have stopped the flow of blood to their brains and as a consequence can no longer think. They are essentially brain dead.
As for philosophical backbone I agree it is necessary but as with all things biological we have to maintain the "ideal" amount. With no backbone we humans will believe and do anything we are told by humans with too much backbone. Humans with too much backbone can't think because excess backbone crowds out their brain and turns them into boneheads who are essentially brain dead.
If G.W., a staunch born again Christian, is the most intelligent man you have ever met, you haven't met Osama Bin Ladin, a staunch born only once Muslim. His goal was to destroy the American "ship" and along with it, the rest of Western Christian civilization. We will find out if he succeeded, soon. If he has succeeded he will have accomplished his goal with 4 stolen airplanes and 19 spineless disciples he converted into boneheads. Moe Bin Ladin poked curly Bush in the eyes knowing that even though he couldn't see, Bush would draw all guns, borrow billions from Moe's brothers to pay for the bullets and blast away at everything, including his own "ship". Most intelligent, I wonder?
Only a staunch Republican can believe their "health care system is the best in the world." The last I heard, 40 million citizens have no access to the system. It consumes more money per capita than any other health care system and among countries with health care systems, Americans are the least healthy. Here is one last bit of information that should shake a staunch Republican's belief in the health of their care system if that were only possible. In 2011, the first of the American baby boomers, who are the unhealthiest among populations with so called health care, begin to receive free Medicare and there is no money to pay for it. That is called an unfunded liability and the estimated amount is $30 trillion. To put that in perspective, your current national dept is only about $11 trillion but growing by $3.4 billion a day.
I wonder if President elect Obama is aware of this 'black hole'? Perhaps he is and that is why he is proposing to plug the 'holes' in his educational system. He is going to need a lot of thinking citizens to help keep the 'ship' afloat.
I have presented here only facts. I am not criticizing America. I am a citizen of the world. The world has a serious problem. I am trying to "do something about it" but I am losing hope. There doesn't seem to be enough citizens with the "ideal" amount of backbone to solve the problem. Doug.E.Barr
Very nice poem. to bad apparently only crazy republicans appear to read it.
reading these comments make me sad to be an American a Texan even a person.
To think that in a land of unlimited opportunity and freedom for all that there are so many ignorant people who can't even think for themselves.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Whew! Doug.E.Barr
I am an independent when it comes to voting, an agnostic when religion enters the room and a human when others are suffering. I am a working class 57 year old man. I am lucky that I was not raised to be a racist and I find one sided thinking to be dangerous. Many of the responders seem to have lost the ability to tell what is right and what is wrong. The truth comes in many voices and all must be heard, they just don’t want to listen. I think Walt Whitman wrote a poem “I hear America singing” and I believe that now I hear America singing and that hope is finally in the melody. Keep writing what you believe in and responding to the singular minded republican bottom feeders. Maybe someday they will understand, maybe someday they will care about someone other than themselves, maybe someday they will see that other peoples point of view is just are important as their own.I have never responded to anything like this and I apologize for my poor grammar and my lack of formal education. Rob C
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There is clearly no reason for you to apologize for "...poor grammar and ...lack of formal education." Our views are not quite congruent. I suggest in the "Ideal" thinking "there are no sides." Then, there is only one natural human right away from which we are free to move. The further away from this "right" we move, the more wrong we become and there are many ways to be wrong. Similarly, though truth may come "in many voices" there is still only one truth. However, I sense you have a level of active intelligence capable of raising your point of view; and I suspect if you do, we will be looking at the same possibilities.
I am honored and humbled by being the first to evoke a response from you. I hope now that you have spoken once you continue to speak. If we can fill the space between the sides with voices like yours, humanity might have a chance to survive. Doug.E.Barr
Well, I find your one-mindedness rather funny...everyone is just fine with you, until they do not agree with you. There are no real answers to the problems which face MY nation. You spent an entire paragraph demeaning one commenters use of the word staunch, I mean really. If you want to really make a change and cause people to think...you could try not being so rude. I think we all knew what he meant....or maybe just it was just you who did not understand.
I mean, my momma taught me years ago, you get more bees with honey than vinegar. Have you ever thought of that? From your comments, I say not.
Furthermore, in the Walt Whitman poem, "I hear America Singing", mentioned in Rob C’s comment.. (now wasn’t that sweet) speaks of an America where all are working hard to make America the best it can be....until all want this, and not a hand-out, we will continue down this road of destruction.
I have never considered myself republican or democrat, I have voted for both, depending on who I felt was best for the job. To sum up what I want to say.....I hope Obama can make some changes, however I am skeptical. His answer on the abortion issue was "it is above my pay grade" I suppose that was where I knew I could not vote for Obama. The answers we need are not liberal, or conservative, republican or democrat...and I don't think someone who is not an American, who does not live in the great USA, has the answers. If you did, or even wanted to try, you would not have such venom in your replies. All you want to do, it make up some poem, have a bunch of pats on the back. Well, I can assure you, poet laureate of Canada, we won’t be reading your writings in a hundred years, (actually not even next week)
Sincerely,
Cindy Alvis of the Untied States of America
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"One-mindedness" is "ideal" providing it is not "narrow-mindedness" as well. My mind is the width of all humanity so I do have a problem with the conflict caused by people who focus on narrow aspects such as staunch Republicanism and staunch Democratism (which just became a word). Narrow-mindedness is a human problem, not an American problem and I do not need to be an American to provide the answer to human problems. There is a "real" answer and apparently it is similar to what Walt Whitman said in his song. The answer is all humans working together to make humanity the best it can be.
My guess is it is a Freudian typo but I think the way you sign off is profound. Doug.E.Barr
The problem with America is the overwhelming amount of people who are looking to change how we live to make it fit their lifestyle, when in fact America is built on a set of values and beliefs which people initially come here for. Now we are trying to make everyone happy and nothing is getting done besides the destruction of our entire country. Barack Obama may as well be another Hitler, dazzle you with great speeches and then bring you death. Just be prepared for the economy to continue to fail, the taxes to increase astronomically, and for crime to be unmanageable.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One problem with America is another staunch Republican to add to all the other staunch people who will refuse to "give up some views that you hold dear" and thus prevent Barack Obama from changing much of anything. Doug.E.Barr
I like it, I didn't vote for Obama, but can still appreciate it... then again I'm independant, what do I know??
keep writing
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOL. A Republican is decided. A Democrat is decided. An Independent is undecided, flexible and open to wonder. You will learn more than you know. Doug.E.Barr
Ohh, I do not buy into the idea of a Freudian typo or slip, only people like you would buy into something so outlandish,
It was what I would call a typo, a mistake.
I have never commented anything in my life before I had a few snow days and stumbled onto this ridiculous "poetry", written by someone who is....ummm, a Canadian. Well, this is the last of my snow days and you can bet I won't have time or the want to, to be back at this website again. Enjoy...your "poetry", I think I will find something more worthy of my time. Wow, actually how much of your time do you spend on this stuff?
Sincerely,
Cindy Alvis, a proud citizen of the United States of America
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In case you do come back, I apologize for upsetting you. Doug.E.Barr
Wait, I am not through....in response to your response to Oss. You know, in retrospect, forget it. Replying here to you is like spitting in the wind. What Oss said is exactly right and it is people with your mindset that have hurt America, justice and freedom. My ancestors fought for this great country, some were wounded for life, some died. What America is turning into is unrecognizable to me. All I know is to pray and keep praying. Because prayer is the only answer.
The main problem with America would be people like you.... who think they are so progressive and such a freethinker. Your little ideas are fine for you, however they hold no water in the real world, in America.
Now I am through. Finis.
Sincerely,
Cindy Alvis of the United States of America
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am relieved that you saw my apology. Good luck with your praying. Doug.E.Barr
I too am a Canadian as it happens and I find great hope in President Barack Obama. I didn't live through the Trudeau era but from what I've read, well, Obama reminds me of Trudeau. He's intelligent, charismatic, he's honest to his personality - I think he will make a good leader. And I do agree with you, he has an enormous task ahead of him and it isn't going to be an overnight fix. To those people who claim that Doug.E.Barr should mind his own business because he's not American, I would remind you that we live in a global world these days. What goes on in the United States has an impact on the rest of the world. And as for Canada, we share a very large border with your country and for better or worse our own country is very much entangled in the goings-on of America. That said, Mr. Barr, I do think some of your commentary is perhaps a little more harsh than it needs to be .... it seems like you are baiting a lot of the people that responded to your poem. That's just my opinion on the matter, my apologies if I've offended anyone.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have certainly taken no offense. I do tend to be impatient with people who want to divide and conquer humanity. I will try to heed your advice. Thank you. Doug.E.Barr
I find the poem a tad corny, but what do I know about poetry? Zilch, nadda, zero. I do appreciate the point of the poem, however, and I find your comments to the comments hilarious. I love that picture floating on the internet of the stereotypical Republican protesting illegal immigration in which the Republican, wearing a shirt comprised of mini U.S. flags, holds a sign that states, "Make English America's offical Language" and I just cringe every time I see it somewhere. I hope you have seen it because it's just simply pathetic and honestly, I sometimes feel guilty laughing at it.
The Untied States of America. Damn. I know it was a typo and you know it was a typo, but the Freudian part just went :::pffffewwww::: right over her head. Mentality: I'm a proud A'murkin! Huhyuk!
Mainstream, middle American Republicans embarrass me.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
L'dOL several times. As I said in my bio, I am not trying to be a poet which is not to say I am not trying to create a literary masterpiece. I see my short poems as suitable web sized vehicles I hope will carry visitors to at least my longer poem "The Last Why" and perhaps my precis and maybe even my essay by the same name. If I create a masterpiece it will generate more visitors. If I accumulate evidence that my poems are not going to do the job I may try doing sit down comedy in front of my Mac and post the videos. Doug.E.Barr
Most of these does not know that this is what you think this is your opinion.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There is a congratulation, an introduction to this time in history, 5 present facts and an expression of hope. There are no opinions whatsoever in this poem. Doug.E.Barr
Hehe interesting poetry work, however I found the commentary from the Republican (only a bit..) crowd rather amusing. I found the comments made by Cindy Alvis to be particularly interesting. One thing that she mentioned, about anyone other than an American not being able to solve the United (Untied..) States of America's problems, is much more "one-minded" than anything she claims you profess. How can someone say that only an inhabitant of a country can fix their problems? Obviously people from all over the world can solve problems, regardless of where they practice "politics" so to speak. How arrogant can you possibly be to believe that only someone, from your whereabouts only, is magically enlightened enough to solve your problems?
I so greatly enjoyed your responses to some of these folks though. Although harsh at times, I think you're pretty much spot on. One thing to mention, however, is that you don't detect sarcasm all too well, as is evident in "Adam Benett" and "Coyotero" 's replies.
Good luck and such.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the record I emailed Cindy to inform her of my apology and she return an email that included an apology for being too unreasonable and an expression of gratitude for my concern. I think Cindy and I could be friends. I can be harsh but not by nature. If I appear harsh consider it a response to commenters who don't seem to have used their brains in quite a while. Sometimes a good jolt can jump start a brain. You might be right about missing remarks that appeared sarcastic to you. However, given that they followed so closely a similar suggestion that I go to Canada, it seemed to me Adam and Coytero were simply joining in on the bullying by a fellow American; but our guesses are not worthy of any more discussion. Thanks for your comment. Doug.E.Barr
The adjective staunch comes from the verb staunch which means "to stop the flow of blood from a wound." When it is used to describe a religious/philosophical position it means stop the flow of blood to the brain. Staunch Republican, staunch Democrat, staunch Christian, staunch Muslim are all the same. They have stopped the flow of blood to their brains and as a consequence can no longer think. They are essentially brain dead.
HAHAHAHA that comment made my day! Thank you Doug for wonderfully thought out responses to some pretty silly posts. The poem is really good. My husband and I love it. I hope you'll post another one soon.
BTW we voted Obama. Hope is all one can have when you have a kid in the US Army.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You bring understanding and hope. Thank you for making my day. If your "kid" is serving overseas may Barack be with him. Doug.E.Barr