Commentary: Missing Poet Sends Words Of Comfort

My intention had been to vent about the obscene amounts of money being poured into American politics and how that money is being used in an attempt to unduly influence, some would even say to hijack, the electoral process in our country.

I was going to voice my disenchantment over recent decisions by the United States Supreme Court which have opened the floodgates to even more money in our politics and why that's harmful to our democracy and to our future.

Then I read something that transcends politics.

So struck by what the great author and poet, Maya Angelou, wrote to the Fayetteville Public Library and to us when, due to health reasons, she had to cancel her scheduled appearance for an event in her honor at the library on April 11, I decided to devote this space to her and her words.

My rant about our broken politics can wait for another time.

Maya Angelou has been hailed as a global renaissance woman. To many, she is a role model. She has lived a long and remarkable life; a celebrated poet, novelist, educator, dramatist, producer, actress, historian, filmmaker and civil rights activist. Her words, actions and good deeds over the years have inspired and influenced millions of people throughout our country and the world, and all for the better.

What the iconic Angelou has voiced during the course of her lifetime has stirred souls, energized movements, stimulated minds and healed hearts.

President Clinton requested Angelou compose a poem to be read at his first inauguration in January 1993. I was there that day as she read "On the Pulse of the Morning," still a vivid memory for me.

Four years later, I heard Fayetteville's own Miller Williams, another noted and treasured poet, deliver his memorable poem "Of History and Hope" at Clinton's second inauguration. Miller would have been among the first to have welcomed Angelou to Fayetteville and it would have been special to have seen these two gifted Americans together at our library.

The library is to be commended for inviting Angelou to Fayetteville and for organizing what would have been a fabulous evening with an amazing woman. The community response to the opportunity to see and hear Angelou had been overwhelming.

And for good reason.

The cancellation of Angelou's visit to Fayetteville was unfortunate, but the disappointment, at least for me, largely evaporated in a matter of seconds when I read the powerful and passionate words in her message to us letting us know she would not be able to be here. After reading it, I felt like she had been here and I could feel her presence among us.

Paraphrasing what Maya Angelou wrote will not do her eloquent and uplifting words proper justice, so I'll quote her.

After expressing her sadness about having to cancel, she wrote: "I long to come to the state of Arkansas, in general, and I long to be in Fayetteville, in particular. I learned in Arkansas at a very young age from my grandmother who taught me, when you learn, teach and when you get, give."

Those values can be traced back to Arkansas because Angelou has roots here. For part of her childhood, she was raised in the small town of Stamps.

Angelou went on: "In Arkansas I also learned not to complain. I was taught there are people all over the world who have less than I have and who would give anything for a portion of my possessions. They went to sleep last night as I went to sleep and they never awakened. Their beds have become their cooling boards and their blankets have become their cooling sheets and they would give anything and everything for what I was complaining about."

I wish I could write like that.

After reading those words, I should never again complain about anything. I probably will, but I'll try to do better.

Angelou then penned these words for us: "In Arkansas, I learned to trust love, not the romance of it, but the heart of it. In Arkansas, I learned to have respect for friendship, to honor it, to trust it and to build it."

We should clutch those simple, yet profound, words and hold them close. And we should strive to live by them every day, not just some days.

Angelou ends by telling us that if she ever makes it back to Arkansas "you will recognize me for I shall be the tall Black lady smiling."

The rest of us will be smiling, too.

Commentary on 04/17/2014

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