Obama,By Louise Annarino, December 2012
Who could ever believe
you could catch the tiger ?
You did it
and we rejoiced.
But,you only caught it by the tail.
And now, we berate you
for failing to stop the tiger’s
destruction; and, merely limit its course
while holding on and hanging tight.
Hang on for dear life,
yours and ours.
While I cannot admire your form
as you swing precariously
each time
the tigers shifts course
to avoid an obstacle in its way,
I would not want you to fall off.
you are our best hope.
Hang on for dear life,
yours and ours.
While I cannot admire your position
as you follow the tiger, seemingly,
only able to control it
by an occasional pull,
or tweak, or pinch, or punch
to its backside,
I would not want you to fall off.
That tiger is strong.
It has feasted upon us for so long.
It has caught us too busy to pay
attention to its hidden ways.
While we dance and sing,
play and pray,
it eats our young and our old;
and now, is bold enough
to attack the strongest among us.
I wish you were strong enough
to climb upon its back and bring us back
the tiger’s pelt, to know his feasting
is at an end and the village
can amend all the tiger has destroyed.
But, you are only one man,just hanging on.
And others are still too afraid
to close down the path your clinging to him
forces you to follow.
Instead, they stay out of its way.
Thus, they avoid you
and any offer of help you could expect
to tame the beast
who has caused such harm,
to so many, for so long.
hang on for dear life,
yours and ours.
You are still our best hope.
annarino writes 