"We Had Him"

Beloveds, now we know that we know nothing.
Now that our bright and shining star can slip away from our finger tips like a puff of summer wind.
Without notice, our dear love can escape our doding embrace.
Sing our songs among the stars and walk our dances across the face of the moon.
In the instance we learn that Michael is gone, we know nothing.
No clocks can tell our time and no oceans can rush our tides.
With the abrupt absence of our treasure, though we are many, each of us is achingly alone; piercingly alone.
Only when we confess our confusion can we remember that he was a gift to us and we did have him.
He came to us from the Creator, trailing creativity in abundance.
Despite the anguish of life, he was sheethed in Mother Love and family love and survived.
And did not more than that, he thrived.
With passion and compassion. Humor and Style.
We had him.
Whether we knew who he was or did not know, he was ours and we were his.
We had him.
Beautiful, delighting our eyes. he raked his hat.
Slant over his brow and took a pose on his toes for all of us and we laughed and stomped our feet for him.
We were enchanted with his passion because he held nothing; he gave us all he had been given.
Today in Tokyo, beneath the Eifel Tower. In Ghana's Black Star Square, in Johannasburg, and Pittsburgh. In Birmingham, Alabama and Birmingham, England. We are missing Michael Jackson.
But we do know we had him.
And we are the world.

-Dr. Maya Angelou; read by Queen Latifah