Barack Obama

I saw the speech earlier today. It was incredibly moving.

However zizi's writing, just knocked the breath out of me.

Our history is so incredibly sad. That some still hold these beliefs is sadder still. Our children should be the window to our future. Not the shame of our past.

We Wear the Mask

We wear the mask that grins and lies
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,
This debt we pay to human guile
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.
Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries.
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!

Paul Lawrence Dunbar
http://howarddrive.dadeschools.net/Ballent%20Links/Oratorical%20Poems.pdf