By Rev. Dr. Earl Trent,
The 1984 presidential campaign of Ronald Reagan produced a now iconic commercial that began with the words “It’s morning again in America.” In one minute it captures the renewal of the American dream. It has been called one of the 10 best political commercials. View it YouTube.
Mourning in America
It’s Mourning in America Again.
Bring out the black cloth The clothes worn from too much wearing,
Too much weathering through all seasons:
Spring hope never reaching full flower
Summer heat with its skin blistering rage
Fall colors, yellow, brown, red,
But never poke- a-dot Winter grief that never seems to thaw.
They’re all the same if measured by weight.
It’s Mourning in America
Again
Print up the T-shirts with the face of the faceless.
At least for a few moments we’ll see them before we press and fold and put
it with the others
in the memento drawer, the box under the bed,
the back of the closet
or wherever we put them meaning never to forget.
It’s Mourning in America
Again
Schedule the prayer vigils,
The unity service, find the candles we used last time.
Whose choir is going to sing?
Maybe a mass choir if we have time to rehearse
No Choir
Let the public sing, A chorus of Amazing Grace
Everyone knows that by now.
Maybe the President will lead it off,
Again
It’s Mourning in America Again
Wrap the badges in black,
Bring the bag pipes for the procession
Trumpet for taps at the grave site
And the guns
Don’t forget the guns
21 of course for the final salute
How about just one that can fire 21 shots?
No, that’s in poor taste.
Get the guns the more the better.
It’s Mourning in America
Again
Who will bandage the grieving who knew them best
Who will sit with them when the video is shown for the 50th time, On the first anniversary, the second, the third….
Who would guess that grieving tears could last that long.
It’s Mourning in America
Again
and Again
and Again
and Again
and Again
and Again
and Again …
Until that monochromatic Morning in America
Is laid to rest.
The Reverend Doctor Earl D. Trent Jr. currently serves as the Senior Pastor of the Florida Avenue Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.
