I went down to my Congressman’s office
early this morning
All kinds of folks were gatherin
My hometown mayor was there.
We all stood around on the carpet
gorging on coffee and rolls
talk talk talking
looking at the pictures
on our Congressman’s walls.
An old lady said
“Would you move so I can see the tv?”
Through the miracle of electronics
we could see on tv
the scene we could see out the window
There was the Capitol
but with Cronkite and Mudd in front,
talk talk talking.
Pretty soon it was almost time
I stepped out into the snow and ice
breathing frost into the sunny blue
just like everybody else.
I mean there was a herd of us
there was a herd of herds of us
right in the nation’s capitol
driving all the traffic cops crazy
walk walk walking
We were wearing flashy buttons
and flashy hats
and waving pretty pennants
and eating peanuts
and buying balloons.
Most everybody grinned from ear to ear
even slipping on the ice
climbing public buildings and lampposts
we joked and laughed about a new era
talk talk talking
Portly old gents and thumbsucking kids
and clowns in outlandish costumes
and young sweethearts and bouffant wives
and burly breadwinners, bearded rascals,
tweed technicians, the whole American crowd
swirled like tide
around buses and limousines and taxis
walk walk walking.
Even the cops were laughing
with a few oaths
but the big oath was yet to come.
Only a few minutes ahead of time
they opened the gates of the picket fence
and let us all in
We really thundered in
crunching across the snow toward the Capitol
climbing trees to see
walk walk walking.
Forget the Southern Baptist preacher and
his prayer – it was cold potatoes.
We were there for a new president
with accomplice
Sun on the dome was a bonus.
When they took the oaths we clapped.
We whooped it up
talk talk talking.
But we quieted down for the speech.
It was no barnburner
but we whooped for an end to
atomic bombs
insane wars
shameful government
We whooped for new spirit in America
hope hope hoping
Everybody really cut loose for the parade
eating hot dogs and more peanuts
waving whatever we had
at the marching bands
golden sun on the trombones
Who played Dixie?
What a mobocracy of folks livin it up!
And behind all the limousines
came the president and his bride
walk walk walking!
We loved it!
Some of us talked about dead days
of fists and clubs and tear gas and screams.
Could all that be over?
We were dazed.
Over at the archives a stone said
“The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.”
But hell, we needed to have a good time
and we did
Now we’re all out getting drunk
talk talk talking
walk walk walking
talk talk talking
Robin T. Cravey
January 1977
