The Fall of a King

Today, America has lost its sweetheart, Michael Jackson. Not but half a century old, the singer/song writer/sensation collapsed from an alleged heart attack/suspected regicide in the city of angels, Los Angeles. Truly the city has gained another angel to add to its flock, of angels.

While many of us are feeling a tremendous feeling of despair at this loss, including the likes of Sufjan Stevens and Soledad O'Brien, it is best we let our pain take the form of respectful rememberence. Get on the blogs, the twitters, the facebooks. Form groups saying how much you miss Michael. Put on your favorite Michael Jacson song (if you can choose!) and listen to it all day. I will be exclusively listening to Will You Be There for what will likely be the duration of the month. Much like the fabled relationship between a boy and an orca, I feel like this song exemplifies the strong bond Michael Jackson had with all of the nation.

Now there will be many sick individuals who will use this day of mourning to spread their ill will, making light of this tragedy, posting "jokes" or status updates talking of the ALLEGED sexual incident that supposedly happened well over a decade ago. If you see this, do not take it sitting down. Tell that person it is not funny. That in America, we don't laugh at tragedy. We cry. We endure. We grow. We hope.

And in this light of hope, I bring to you a passage that JRR Tolkein had prepared for when this day of sorrow would come, that we might not be overcome with despair, but know that the spirit of Michael Jackson will live on:

All that is gold does not glitter

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall spring;

Renewed shall be blade that was broken

The crownless again shall be king.

The King of Pop shall again rise to the thrown. In heaven. In the very seat of God.

God bless you MJ. You will be missed.