rss
mobile
Feeds
It was a color portrait of the first family: President Barack Obama with Michelle and their daughters, Malia and Sasha.
He said he gets a tingling sensation just thinking about it.
And he says it's the third piece of mail to arrive from the White House since he sent Obama a poem he wrote on his front porch the day after his election.
Watson called the free verse poem "Glory," and in it, he called Obama "a dream for us to see."
A year later, Watson got a note with the president's signature on it saying, "Your thoughtful words join a chorus of millions of Americans who are eager to lead our nation toward a brighter tomorrow. Each day, I am inspired by the encouraging messages of hope and determination I have received from people across the country."
Watson said he responded with a Christmas card to the president and was stunned when he got one in return. He sent a note of thanks, and now comes the family portrait.
Watson was honored at church Sunday, reading his poem on the day that First African Baptist on New Street celebrated its 145th anniversary. He's also been on local television news.
"Glory" came to him quickly, he said. Since then, he's written a number of poems. He wrote one for Plums Restaurant on Bay Street, where he sometimes sings on open mike nights. He wrote one called "Zippy Lube, Zippy Lube," which hangs at the oil-change business.
And he most recently wrote one called "Haiti, Haiti" because he's concerned not everyone knows the depth of the hurt caused by an earthquake there.
Watson thinks his urge to write may be a belated gift from his late father, known around town as "Papa" Watson.
"My father was an avid writer," Watson said. "He wrote letters to the editor. He always spoke his mind. Maybe it's a genetic-type thing."
"Papa" Watson had what he called the Itty Bitty Pet Farm on Lady's Island, which his son said had deer, cows, chickens, pigs, ducks, guineas, raccoons and a monkey named Judah that a Marine had gotten in Vietnam.
"My father cared a lot about helping kids," said Watson, who will soon turn 62.
As for Obama, Watson said, "We are all in the same boat together and it's time we united. It's time for our nation to come together and be one. We could be just like Haiti and be forced to come together to survive. It would be unfortunate for it to take a disaster, when nobody had a choice but to quit fighting and work together."
