The Night Michelle Danced with Barack
Do you remember that night,
The night Michelle danced with Barack?
All people danced with them,
I, too, with my ex-wife
In front of a giant TV
In a nightclub on the corner.
Do you remember that night,
The night Michelle danced with Barack?
I let go of cynicism
Became an active citizen
And shouted with the others:
“Yes! We can.”
Do you remember that night,
The night Michelle danced with Barack?
No one knew that soon
Slaveholders would rise from graves
And spread fear and despair
With their guns and God.
Do you remember that night,
The night Michelle danced with Barack?
That night will return again
Malia will dance with Sasha
And my son Azad with his ex-girlfriend
And America will find another Lincoln.
Majid Naficy
July 26, 2018
شبی که میشل با باراک رقصید
آیا آن شب را به‌یاد‌می‌آوری
شبی که میشل با باراک رقصید؟
همه‌ی مردم با آنها رقصیدند
و من هم با همسر سابقم
روبروی تلویزیونی قدی
در بزمگاهی شبانه سرِ خیابان.
آیا آن شب را به‌یاد‌می‌آوری
شبی که میشل با باراک رقصید؟
من منفی‌بافی را رها کردم
شهروندی کوشا شدم
و همراه با دیگران فریاد زدم:
"آری، ما می‌توانیم."
آیا آن شب را به‌یاد‌می‌آوری
شبی که میشل با باراک رقصید؟
هیچ کس نمی‌دانست که به‌زودی
برده‌داران سر از خاک بر‌می‌دارند
و با تفنگها و خدایشان
ترس و نومیدی می‌پراکنند.
آیا آن شب را به‌یاد‌می‌آوری
شبی که میشل با باراک رقصید؟
آن شب دوباره باز‌خواهد‌گشت
مالیا با ساشا خواهد رقصید
و پسرم آزاد با دوست‌دختر سابقش
و آمریکا لینکلنِ دیگری خواهد یافت.
مجيد نفيسي
بیست‌و‌ششم ژوئیه دوهزار‌و‌هژده
from Andrew Price:
"I love this poem Majid. Great tribute to the Obama family. Andrew"
from Nayereh Tohidi:
"Majid jan, this is an excellent and timely poem. I loved it!
I will share it with others. Bravo!"
from Lillian Boraks Nemetz:
"Love this poem Majid.
We,Canadians, were dancing too
In front of the big screen.
Great ending. The poem should be adapted to music as the repetitive lines lend themselves to musical rhythm.
Big Love
from Firoozeh Khatibi:
"lovely"
from Lisa Rome: "Thank you for provoking sweet memories with this poem. We can all hang on the hopeful end note. Once, since that horrible man has taken office, I even felt nostalgic for George W. Bush. Thank you as always."
from Michelle:
"Hi Majid,
Thank you for sharing this poem with me. I too remember the feeling of hope and euphoria, the night of the 2008 election, and the night of the inauguration ... And yet, for me, while it is important to remember hope and possibility at this time of nightmarish hatred and despair: I don't think what we need to look for in these times is "another Lincoln."
The legacy of Obama's presidency is mixed, in my view. There are people who remember only the beautiful and meaningful ways he spoke and acted; and there are people who want to recount only the litany of the wars he continued abroad, the ways in which his favoring of Wall Street over main street at home (despite campaign promises) led to bitterness and anger among some white working class voters who voted for him once or both times and then, seeing their communities fall into deeper disintegration, voted for Trump.
I don't think it can be the model any longer to hope for one single leader who will lead us to the promised land. Together, collectively, we must find a new way to create the world we need, for us all.
With best wishes,
Michelle
from Moin:
"What a wonderful memory. It feels like it never happened. It feels like it was just a dream. I recall on that wonderful night I've called an African American friend of mine & told him "it has been thirty years which I was waiting for this to happen". You know what his comment to me was. "Brother we were waiting
For 200 years". I choked up. All I had for him was my tears.
Love you man
from Majid:
"This poem is based on nostalgia, not a plan for action or an evaluation of Obama Presidency. Even the narrator remembers his ex-wife or wishes his son to dance with his ex-girlfriend."
from Naomi Shihab Nye:
"Majid, my friend Roberto wrote the note below about your poem: Nice indeed. An example of repetition that works."
from John Feffer:
"it's very good, thank you!"
from Saeed Rahnema:
"Majid jan... Great as always. Will share. Keep well. Saeed "
from Arsalan: "Deliciously beautiful!
مجید جان، اجازه بده این را اضافه کنم که فارسی شعرت در دل د روان می نشیند محشر است ولی به انگلیسی آن ، چه بگویم؟ ، آن oomph ش را از دست میدهد.
+++
اگر بخواهی، یعنی اول باید به من بنویسی و اجازه بدهی، من کوشش کنم ببینم میتوانم آن حسی را که در فارسی گرفتم میتوانم به انگلیسی منتقل کنم... ولی اول باید کتبا به من اجازه بدی...
بسیار زیبا و چه بجا! این را باید به New Yorker بفرستی که چاپش کنند... نفست گرم، مجید جان!
from Hugh:
"Thanks, Majid. Very good. Best regards."
from Norma:
"It’s lovely. A reminder and a promise....
Thank you for writing and sharing it "
from Joan:
"Thank you so much, Majid! This is such a hopeful sentiment and it brought a tear to my eyes. We certainly share this hope. Take care, my friend."