Today I saw something wonderful Today I saw President Elect Obama and beautiful Michelle Leave The Hague All smiles in all their airs His hand reached the car door handle as he opened the door and with his other hand escorted her in. As he took his place in his seat, the car doors closed And he looked at us from the window Waving All smiles And in all his airs Like a groom waives as he leaves enroute to meet his bride. I looked away for a minute or two and he arrived At he church Where Michelle’s height matched his perfectly and with tall demeanor Greeted by the priest they entered the church The first item of the day Then I saw Michelle’s Maize colored dress suit glittered As they headed for the white house There I saw President Bush and 1st Lady Laura Great the tall incoming smiles And beautiful Michelle Gifted Laura, a big white box and big red bow And President Bush, Michelle in hand Entered the white house As our Handsome Obama escorted Gentle 1st lady Laura with a smile. Jill and Joe Vice President entered the white house with Jill’s tall boots Then I looked away to tend my life and returned as Michelle and Laura left the house Lynne and Dick in his mysterious wheel chair 146 House of Representatives And I saw the president and president elect enter a tank of a car The most important vehicle of the moment And presidential motorcade and flags Waved at us as they drove by My husband watched it all with me. My son watched history happen from school. My brother arrived sporting a 01/20/09 T-Shirt he received as a Three Kings gift in San Juan Puerto Rico My eyes came back and I saw them all arrive at Capital hill Chief justices announced VIP’s Arrive Colon Powel in the crowd And the former VP’s marched in And so did good ol’ Al who should have been president The incoming cabinet came in And the view was amazing as America filled into the Mall with or without tickets “Ladies and gentlemen Please be seated” And I already was And former president H W and Barbra came in well aged Carter and Rosalyn came in still holding on to a sort of youth Bill and Hillary arrive and emotions spill from his pores and she smiles on As Rahm Emanuel high fives the audience in all his pride If I could put words in his mouth, he’d be saying “I did this, I made this happen”. And the music begins to wail As they announce the former presidents And white gloved hands rise at the doors slowly to salute them H W returned the salute I then saw a moving van Moving boxes in and out A 6-hour transition A feat I can’t imagine And Bill and Hill are announced And Bill’s emotions seep through his pores And Hill smiles W’s girls entered And then Sasha and Malia took the spot light America’s little sweethearts Princesses of the world And the Queen, Aretha Franklin, 1st lady of soul Arrived And my vocal chords vibrated in excitement Laura and Lynne were announced Smiling But seeming disconnected from us Michelle and Jill seem nervous I see that nervousness in them I feel that nervousness in me Could our expectations be too high? Perhaps, But I just wanna relish in this moment In my expectations And enjoy the possibilities W walks in and smiles and lifts a brow Walking through a building that was in part built by slaves And today Things are different Hail to the chief plays but I feel nothing It plays for him for the last time and suddenly I feel something Michelle is holding the Lincoln bible in her hands It has existed As America has taken a long painful journey Never used since Lincoln This bible, in the hands of a black woman Beautiful Michelle Is a symbol of a journey And I see Barack Summoning his calm As Jo is introduced And he smiles And greets America Nancy Peloci is near our prince And she smiles But Barack holds his smile back Lips tightened as he swallows the reality his life will be. Barack H is announced And a sea of American flags wave and rock D.C. And Times Square comes to a halt and the world watches Barack takes his seat Seeking Michelle with his eyes Finding her seated behind him W now seems calm and I see a truly honest smile in him Perhaps relief looking forward to the rest of his life And I wish him well inspite of it all. Rick Warren provides the invocation Aretha sings And freedom rings Her voice makes me somehow reclaim the anthem Because today it means something To me Jo then places his hand on the bible And solemnly swears Enter Vice President Jo Biden The good guy finally won Yo - Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman Play And I feel that internationally, Obama is being welcomed, in orchestra And Obama looks up and back and smiles And receives the welcome Obama is officially the president Noon has struck He is president even without the oath Chief justice Roberts takes the stage The Lincoln Bible Wife and daughters Barrack's nerves stumble his words He smilesTakes oath “Congratulations Mister President” 21-gun salute … My heart My breath My tears My God It has finally happened I relish in it all Our President takes the stage And quickly reminds us of the struggles ahead Waking me from my joy To remind me of the work ahead A strong leader already Instantly understanding his job He tells me what we have to do And with a smile reminds me of what we’ve already done. “Pick our selves up Dust ourselves off” And begin the work The flag pin on his lapel glistens “Our patchwork heritage is strength not a weakness” Our president stops talking to me for a moment And talks to the world Extending olive branches But revealing a resolute fist He is the president of the world Right now Not just mine He comes back to us and our courage Rescuing ourselves When levees break And climbing stairs as towers burn And reminds us of community A community worker is our president And he has just punched his time clock He is here for business This is the year of America’s rebirth The poet she speaks slowly And we hear images of our selves and hear praise song as we are sent forth in a colorful prayer. I laugh I smile I saw all of this I was witness I was there, When America took itself back I was there A Puerto Rican Girl from the Lower East side of Manhattan Mother of an interracial child Wife of an African American Sitting Seeing it all In a St. Cloud, Minnesota hotel room Watching him on CNN on an old Zenith TV My eyes witnessed it and... I was there I saw him I saw it Witnessed it all Hail to the chief I was there Today ----Mildred Ruiz-Sapp