Michael: The Final Curtain Call

I was overcome with emotion, time after time, watching this grief stricken but united family. They brought back memories of the death of my own beloved mother only two years ago. Also gone too soon.

[Passing Of Michael Jackson]

Like millions around the world, I watched Michael Jackson’s memorial concert.

It still felt unreal, even with the gold coffin in which lay the King taking centre stage.  I turned to my equally distraught and inconsolable 14 year old daughter, Sasha, and asked her once and twice more, is Michael Jackson really dead? 

She responded with free flowing tears.

I cried tears of Joy as my heart celebrated the life and works of this amazing and selfless human being. I cried tears of sadness because his time with us had come to an abrupt end, “gone in a twinkling of an eye”. 

I am regretful that I didn’t take notice sooner; that I didn’t know about Michael Jackson the humanitarian. I imagined that someone as successful as he was would donate money to charities but I had no knowledge that most of the proceeds from his tours and album sales was actually donated to various causes—to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.

I am a die-hard fan posthumous.

Michael Jackson’s music was about more than just amazing beats. We have all danced to hits like “Man in the Mirror”, “Will you be there” and “Heal the World” to name but a few but can we say that we have truly listened to the message therein? 

Listen again, please, humour me.

A few have questioned whether Michael Jackson would have wanted such a public send off. I say yes, he would have. He was a public figure; he was larger than life and simply the greatest entertainer that ever lived as aptly put by Berry Gordy. Centre stage is where this showman deserved to be, one final time.

I was overcome with emotion, time after time, watching this grief stricken but united family. They brought back memories of the death of my own beloved mother only two years ago. Also gone too soon. 

She was like that perfect flower, that is now beyond my reach but I know she blooms on the other side of life. The pain of losing a loved one never leaves you; instead you learn to live with the loss so that your life may carry on. 

The most memorable moment for me will be the emotional and tearful tribute by his daughter Paris Katherine Jackson. Her tribute reminded us that the world may have lost an iconic entertainer but he was also a father, whose young children are now fatherless.

Not too far behind is Usher’s heart felt rendition of “Gone too soon.”

When he got up and walked down the stairs, I thought please do not go to the coffin, because that would make it real. “Shiny and sparkly and splendidly bright here one day gone one night”

“This is it, this is my final curtain call” said the King, this has now come to pass.

Tears will run dry but I will think of Michael Jackson for a long time to come.

Love from a distance.


Allimadi writes for The Black Star from London

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