november 4, 2008

by ani difranco

the victory was ours
and you were the first to say it
never known so many people
donate time to a campaign

and when you were elected
there was a global wave of joy
who knew a world gone mad
could still go sane?

we poured into the streets
and we danced and we cheered
and a neighborhood was a neighborhood
like it hadn't been in years

all eyes meeting
filled with tears
yes, we prayed you were coming
and then we saw you were here

you are black
you are white
you are red
you are blue
you are green
you are orange
with a purple and yellow hue

you've risen like a phoenix
from each flame that they threw
you've been everything
that we asked of you

president obama
it's an honor just to say it
i used to hide my passport
now i want to display it

thank you for our democracy
through you it's resurrected
thank you for our basic decency
through you it's reflected
thank you, america
for being more than i expected

yes we can
yes we can
yes we can
yes we can
yes we can

yes we can
yes we can
yes we can
yes we can
yes we can

president obama
you do not have to be perfect
i trust that you
are a public servant
steady as abraham lincoln
ready as martin luther king
is the spirit that you bring

and we vow to uphold you
through these tricky times
keep you safe in our hearts
and informed with our minds

and we will uphold each other
we won't divide and attack
there's no going back
there's no going back
there's no going back

yes we can
yes we can
yes we can
yes we can
yes we can

victory was ours
and you were the first to say it