The O-lympics...

Vancouver's about redemption...


That's what the announcer said, Lord.  I heard it.  I hope it is.  I pray it is.

We move so quickly from tragedy to ceremony, as the show must go on.   The native peoples just welcomed the world with raised, open arms.  Earlier today the twenty-something luger left earth for heaven.   Did your angels welcome him with raised, open arms? I know he is sad to have missed the games.  He was so close.  So very close.  The black ribbon on the Georgian flag is quickly swallowed in the sea of color.  O, Nodar.

The sixteen year old jazz phenom sings O, Canada.  A month ago now the world cried O, Haiti.  We move so very quickly, don't we, Lord?  900 latrines have been built for the homeless and displaced in Haiti.  What happened to all the homeless in downtown Vancouver?   I saw them there not two years ago.  O, Canada.

Lionel and Quincy assembled the voices for We Are The World one-more-time.  Bob Costas just used the phrase speaking in tongues.  And here come the United States in Ralph Lauren's red-white-and-blue dream come true.  Shaun White's hair is longer than mine.  O, America.

Still the natives dance.

And Donald speaks.  And Sarah sings about ordinary miracles today in a ceremony of $30 million worth of illusion.  And fiddlers fiddle.  And blessed Joni sings.  O, Joni.

Then comes the poet - and some say what defines us/is something as simple as please and thank you/and as for you're welcome/well we say that too...

O, me!  O, life!  O, Lord, in these sixteen days of snowy metaphor, please let Vancouver be redemption, for as k.d. sings in white we are broken hallelujahs.

We'll say thank you.  O, my...