U BEING U

by Suzan-Lori Parks

U Being U

Mr. President-Elect

Makes me wanna get MY stuff

correct

I feel like starting with something RADICAL

Like,

Love my Neighbor

Like share what I've got

Like think for myself

Like ask the hard questions

Like lean toward the good and help keep the peace

U being U

Makes me wanna do something new

Like Go Green, or at least try to.

You being you, Mr. President-Elect

Makes me want to look on others with respect

Makes me wanna

practice Radical Inclusion, you know,

Open my heart wide, especially in the presence of folks who

Are not like me, you know,

work to see my Brother

In the Other

You make me want to entertain all my far-out ideas

Make me wanna represent the race, as in the human race,

And know that, like You, I too am Prized.

And to those who say yr a Magic Negro,

I love them just the same

And my love helps us weave a United States.

Mr. President,

Heaven sent

Since heaven is just a place where possibility

becomes possible

And where hostility

holsters

its hostile,

I feel like picking up the trash in the park or on the beach

I think I'll teach, and learn, from all I meet

I think I'll apologize in person for all our faults

and try to make amends for our shortcomings

And also, I think,

I'll brag,

Just a little bit,

About how cool We The People are

Oh, I just had to sing you a little something

Because you,

Mr. President,

You are embarking with Us on an awesome and beautiful

And potentially perilous journey

And so I am giving you

All the Love

All the Love

All the Love

All the Love

Mr. President

That I've got

Because I believe

In the dream

And I am ready

To wake up

And live it.

Suzan-Lori Parks is Pulitzer Prize winning a novelist and playwright.