Queen Latifah reads poem by Maya Angelou 'We Had Him'

Queen Latifah took the platform following Pastor Lucius Smith, at Michael Jackson's Memorial. After a brief introduction, Queen read a poem written especially for Michael Jackson by the poetess, Maya Angelou. Here is the poem.

This poem is copyright Maya Angelou

"We Had Him," by Dr. Maya Angelou.

"Beloved, 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 we learned that Michael is gone, we know nothing.

No clocks can tell our time and 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 of life, he was sheathed in mother love and family love and survived, and did not more than that.

He thrived with passion and compassion, humor and style.

We had him.

Whether we knew who he was or did not know, he was ours, and we were his.

We had him, beautiful, delighting our eyes.

He raked his hat, slanted 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 give 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 Jackson.

But we do know we had him, and 'We Are the World.'

Thank you."