We're Waitin on Obama: A Ballad of Obama Poem

[Better Believe It]

Ballad of Obama


The pot was empty,

The cupboard was bare.

I said, Papa,

What’s the matter here?

I’m waitin' on Obama, son,

Obama, Obama,

Waitin' on Obama, son.

The rent was due,

And the lights was out.

I said, Tell me, Mama,

What’s it all about?

We’re waitin' on Obama, son,

Obama, Obama,

Just waitin' on Obama.

Sister got sick

And the doctor wouldn’t come

Cause we couldn’t pay him

The proper sum—

A-waitin on Obama,

Obama, Obama,

A-waitin' on Obama.

Then one day

They put us out o' the house.

Ma and Pa was Meek as a mouse

Still waitin' on Obama,

Obama, Obama.

But when they felt those

Cold winds blow

And didn’t have no

Place to go

Pa said, I’m tired

O’waitin' on Obama,

Obama, Obama.

Damn tired o‘ waitin’ on Obama.

I can’t git a job

And I can’t git no grub.

Backbone and navel’s

Doin' the belly-rub—

A-waitin' on Obama,

Obama, Obama.

And a lot o' other folks

What’s hungry and cold

Done stopped believin'

What they been told

By Obama,

Obama, Obama—

Cause the pot’s still empty,

And the cupboard’s still bare,

And you can’t build a

bungalow

Out o' air—

Mr. Obama, listen!

What’s the matter here?

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The poem was of course was written by Langston Hughes in 1934 and was called "Ballad of Roosevelt". I changed the name of the President in his poem from Roosevelt to Obama. It was written 76 years ago and is still relevant today in that it pretty much sums up the feeling of growing numbers of working class, middle class and poor people .... their frustration and anger during this deepening Great Recession.

You can read the original and find out more about the poem at:

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5096/

And here is a link to Danny Glover reading the "Ballad of Roosevelt":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HADGKw_wa5E

[Radical Activist]

1. In 75 years we should be past the mentality of waiting for President to hand us change.

Obama spent his entire campaign discouraging that mentality.