A coloured man, black of appearance but of mixed parentage –

Quietly reflective, unassuming, and statuesque-thin,

He came to prominence on a party convention stage in 2004;

A gifted orator, he took to the podium ‘n’ did a most remarkable thing:

He shared his own remarkable personal journey unto that moment, and highlighted an undeniable truth that left a world enraptured and in awe:

‘In no other country could my story have been possible’

Then in 2008, the unthinkable happened;

This man was elected President of the most powerful country the world has ever known;

Historic, to say the least;

It inspired (and continues to inspire) a generation-

The rejoice and euphoria of that achievement, inevitably raised expectations;

What was improbable became possible;

We tied and tethered our sails to his mast, and unreasonably (on reflection) expected calm seas year round-

Though we were all in the middle of an almighty economic storm-

Reality took time to dawn;

For with every great action there is an equally great opposite reaction,

And four years on, another reckoning was called: 

By this time, the optimistic campaigner of old had become a pragmatist;

His unrestrained optimism of previous years had been tempered by the realities of office,

And these facts are self-evident in his less gun-ho attitude, temperament and cautiousness-

No longer over-promising, or grandstanding, or (mayhaps, even) so politically-naive, 

This re-invention suggests he has much more to offer than all the other pretenders to this much-coveted throne;

So, when the man says I have learned my lessons and I am better for it, I tend to believe him,

For a statesmen who is willing to learn from his lessons, surely has greatness within his grasp!