Inauguration Day

U.S. Capitol through 'field of flags' - nytimes.com

It's a day to ask God's blessing
on a man who now will lead
a nation quite divided (blue and red).
It's a day to pray for safety.
It's a day to pray for peace.
Though filled with doubt we choose to trust instead.

It's a day for new beginnings.
It's a day to take an oath.
It's a day for our new President to speak.
It's a day for him to calm our fears
and call us all to dream
of reaching noble goals for which we seek.

Like unity and kindness, too.
Like treating others fair.
Like honesty and giving folks a hand.
Like dignity and tolerance
and honoring the weak
while lifting up the wounded who can't stand.

This is a day we start to heal
if we are so inclined
to put aside the rancor and forgive.
While differences won't disappear,
the way we disagree
determines if democracy will live.

This day is what inaugurates
much more than just a term.
It terminates a season we survived.
A season marked by COVID,
riots, chaos and much hate.
A season marked by leadership that lied.

But this day we inaugurate
a President and more.
We have the chance to truly start again.
Bipartisan investments
in democracy's account.
A blank slate now invites us to begin.