Aretha

Aretha 

You’ve been playing on my life’s soundtrack for a long long time 

From Mother’s record club arrivals 

I’ve Never Loved a Man 

To college anthems 

All I’m asking for is a little Respect 

Spell it now 

Spirit in the Dark 

 

Ebony and Jet keeping us apprised of 

Your weight loss journeys (you & Luther & Oprah) 

Your husbands (but Aretha, Glenn Turman was so cute!) 

And your tyrannical father 

I say a little prayer for you 

 

I saw you once 

At the Arie Crown in McCormick Place 

An awful venue 

Yet, decades later, they’re still 

Staging shows there 

 

I don’t know who anointed you 

Queen of Soul 

But you wore it well 

Your finest crown being 

The one you rocked at Obama’s 

Swearing-in 

 

But the furs Aretha 

Cannot black folk be 

Politically correct too? 

And a fur jacket 

Inside? 

On the Kennedy Honors stage? 

 

Aretha 

You family 

And we love you 

Happy Birthday

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