I don’t think he ran the race to win, I think he ran to try
to show 2 million kids like me
that we
should never shy away
from being in
the human race,
and that our faces weren’t forbidden
or a burden or
exceptions as we all could be exceptional. I think he ran to hold a door
that he would not walk through
but had opened first by Douglass,
passed to Phillips,
Chisholm,
Fauntroy,
then to one midwestern resident who was at last called President.
Although he did not run to win,
and few assumed he would, he demonstrated to a generation
that we could eventually
push lines which seemed immobile
inches
and then feet
as we all yelled “I Am Somebody”
down on Sesame Street.
he could not smooth the roads ahead
could not hold back the tide
or turn the head of every average Joe with hate inside
but he still ran
still stood his ground
with grace, impressively
to hold a space
for one of us to finally say
“that’s me”.
Thank you, Sir, from Somebody,
for your example; I…
don’t think you ran the race to win.
I think you ran to try
