Queen Latifah, one of the many celebrities that paid tribute to Michael Jackson at the singer's public memorial at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday- said how much she loved and admired the King of Pop.
She then went on to read a poem that Maya Angelou wrote in tribute for the occasion called "We Had Him"
Read the beautiful poem below:
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 that Michael is gone, we know nothing. No clocks can tell time. 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, his life was sheathed in mother love, family love, and survived and did more than that.
He thrived with passion and compassion, humor and style. We had him whether we know who he was or did not know, he was ours and we were his.
We had him, beautiful, delighting our eyes.
His hat, aslant 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 Eiffel Tower, in Ghana's Black Star Square.
In Johannesburg and Pittsburgh, in Birmingham, Alabama, and Birmingham, England
We are missing Michael.
But we do know we had him, and we are the world.
Daughter...
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.[/quote]
Yes, we had him and now he lives in our memories. We know nothing are who he is really was.
Rest in peace - MJ - I love you.
Thank you, Michael.
You will be missed.
Thank you Michael for sharing your talent. I still can't do the moonwalk but i'll never stop trying. Just like you.
=)
I love you Michael and i thank you for beeing you and giving us the best days of our lives.
R.I.P
I love you, Michael, I know you are up there happier than before.
I do believe the world up there is much purer, simpler, and more suitable for you to live
I know you can see us!
You are still with us!
For spirits never die, everyone on earth would never stop loving you
Michael, Rest in Peace, God Bless You
RIP MJ
I have grieved for this man for so so many years because of all he has endured and suffered being an abused child myself and full-well knowing the aftermath of that kind of childhood and now the man is where God intended, within the gates of total love and acceptance and freedom. I always wished he was my lil brother so I could be a part of his support system and someone to hug him and say to him "I understand, Mikey". I can clear a room with my opinion of people who beat and abuse a skinny lil boy like him, looking down on a tiny child with anger and ugliness and force as his father did. Shame on him! God don't like ugly, Joe Jackson and for you to have the egomania to believe Michael's accomplishments are yours, just know that the world is not on your side and our Lord will deal with you in days to come. How dare you raise a belt to someone so small. It totally disgusts me beyond words. Michael, you were the bigger man telling your father you forgive him but Lord only knows he didn't deserve it ~~OR YOU! All my heart felt love and appreciation for the 50 years God blessed us with you. I only wish I could have said all this to you in person and my biggest fear is that you didn't know all this about a world of people who loved you immensely.
You are an angel now. Fly happy and free, Mikey.
love you MJ.the world have lost the precious gift of all!
One of his dances he dances on his toes and Maya knew that and took Michael’s performing life into her poem. This makes the poem like an autobiography and a poem of him.
His father isn’t Joe Jackson. His father is God. Michael was only raised by the Jackson’s but Maya knew that truly he is Michael God.
Even though some people truly adored Michael, he still left their loving care. That part was to me and maybe some others was the most meaningful part.
Even though Michael is gone his soul, spirit, music and passion lives forever. The newspaper reporters cannot say any horrible lies about him now because he is resting with the moon and the stars.
Michael was our gift. No one can replace this gift. Michael is something that comes only once in a lifetime. Even though we are many Maya made us remember that everyone can feel very lonely in this big world now.
In the last four sentences: “Today in Tokyo, beneath the Eiffel Tower, in Ghana’s Black Star Square…We are missing Michael. But we do know we had him and we are the world.†To me that just summarizes that everywhere in the world everyone is missing Michael. And, the world that Michael healed is missing him.
Long live your spirit Michael.
How Maya can think of this meaningful poem might always be a mystery to me.
Never ever will you be forgotten, your twinkling eyes and your big smile will forever be in our hearts. MJforever!