Inner-views

Let me tell you a story about a man 

Who grew up in a colorful world, Black, White and Tan

His mother was Irish American from Kansas named Ann Dunham

His dad was from the tribe of Luo, Barack Obama Sr. was an African

As students at the University of Hawaii

Obama senior and Ann fell in love between classes

Even though racial prejudiced existed

among the ignorant masses

In those hatred days

Love between different races wasn't cool.

They got married anyway

And both stayed in school

Barack's father was born in Kenya a country far across the sea

His culture was different from American History

Kenya wanted educated people to help build up the land

So Obama Sr. went back to Kenya to help his countryman

Sometimes when people marry too young

It's not easy to stay on the marriage course

When things got difficult for his parents

Barack was 2 when sadly, they divorced

Barack means "Blessed" and so they were

The father and his beloved son

Barry, being a inter-racial young boy

 Had much racism to overcome

His mother moved to Jakarta, Indonesia

and married once again

Barack lived with Asian friends, 

appreciating the culture of the land

School was limited in Jakarta

Education is the key to success

His mother sent him to school in Hawaii

so his education could be the best

Barry lived with his Gramps and Toot

Who raised him up just right

They taught him not to judge people by how they looked

To be peaceful and not to fight

After high school, he went on to get his degree

At Colombia University in New York City

He helped people get jobs, housing and education

Working to build up community relations

Like John Brown and Martin Luther King, Jr. 

and all freedom fighters who lived before

If you want to change lives, you have to change laws

Resist evil to help everyone, rich or poor

Barack enrolled in Harvard Law School

Standing out among the few

He was the first African-American president

Of the school's newspaper, The Havard Law Review

Barack wrote a book about his dad, played basketball

wrote poetry in his spare time

But he always stayed focused on studying

about the Civil Rights of all mankind

He moved to Chicago to teach

After passing the bar exam

Professor Obama taught the Constitution of the USA

His classes were in demand

Times were changing, in changing times

He met and married a lawyer name Michelle

They had two daughters, Malia and Sasha

Barack became a family man as well

In 1996 Barack Obama became the 5th Black man

to hold a United States senate seat

For 8 years Senator Obama Served the state of Illinois

Young, old, city and country, he represented everyone's voice

Obama was chosen as the keynote speaker

at the 2004 National Democratic Convention

His message of progressive unity

Has the world's undivided attention!

Many people saw themselves in Barack Obama

African, Irish, Asian, Hispanic, Native, Italian, German

Obama gave them a voice, rising out of American's melting pot

Obama said "Yes We Can" and Yes! He was the people choice!

Was it finally possible a Black man 

would be president of the United States?

Shirley Chisholm and Jessy Jackson ran before him

But it was not their fate!

So now as I share this poem

Some of Martin Luther Kings's dream came true

Barack Obama ran for president in 2008

Winning fair and square because of people like you!

"Do you realize your dreams are never out of reach?"

It was what Obama said in his acceptance speech.

"The hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believed that America has a place for him too!"

Barack Obama, was the 44th President of the United States of America

Who served the country for me and you!

(C) 2009 Oni Lasana