BELOVEDS, NOW WE KNOW THAT WE KNOW NOTHING

NOW THAT OUR BRIGHT AND SHINING STAR CAN SLIP AWAY FROM OUR FINGERTIPS LIKE A PUFF OF SUMMER WIND

WITHOUT NOTICE OUR DEAR LOVE CAN ESCAPE OUR DOTING EMBRACE

SING OUR SONGS AMONG THE STARS AND WALK OUR DANCES ACROSS THE FACE OF THE MOON

IN THE INSTANT 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 SHEATHED IN MOTHER LOVE AND FAMILY LOVE

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 WITH HIM

WE WERE ENCHANTED WITH HIS PASSION BECAUSE HE HELD BACK NOTHING

HE GAVE US ALL HE HAD BEEN GIVEN

TODAY IN TOKYO, BENEATH THE EIFFEL TOWER, IN GHANA’S BLACKSTAR SQUARE, IN JOHANNESBURG, IN PITTSBURGH, IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA AND BIRMINGHAM,  ENGLAND, WE ARE MISSING MICHAEL JACKSON

BUT WE DO KNOW THAT WE HAD HIM

AND WE ARE THE WORLD

MAYA ANGELOU

A CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF MICHAEL JACKSON

1958-2009