A thin man comes along
Out of nowhere
A black man comes along
Out of everywhere
Against all odds
Comes along
Materializes young and whole
Out of our very selves.

He is saying what’s on the tip of our tied tongues
Finishing our tortured sentences
With possibilities
Of hope in a hopeless time.

This one
Understands
What we want
Some of what we want
Enough of a fraction of what we want
And need
To send us
Singing joyous alive tonight
Dancing in the streets with history
Embracing neighbors and strangers
All round the wounded world.

Impossible man
Made of dignity and calm.

Put your incredulous trust in him
Against your better reason
Extract it like a diamond from the dark column
Of your spine
Awed at yourself
Your doing this
Polish and deposit it
Thankful
In the hands of this man.

Fiercely protect and challenge him.

Give him pieces of yourself
Friends
All of us common from Africa
Give him your gold-flecked little strengths
Give him air from your deep chest
Your stubborn beating heart
Turn your fists into working hands now.