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