Today’s Monday Inspirations post is a wonderful example of the gems that can be found while aimlessly surfing YouTube — Broadway star Audra McDonald performing the song, “Some Days.”

Audra McDonald is one of my personal heroes. She studied classical voice the Julliard School and has gone on to have an incredibly full career. She’s won four Tony awards for her work on Broadway, making her one of three actresses to do so. She’s also performed countless concerts across the country and appeared on television, most recently as Naomi Bennett on ABC’s Private Practice.

What makes this song special is that the lyrics are taken from a poem by James Baldwin, the African-American poet, novelist, and social critic who is remembered for his frank discussions of race, class, sexuality, and oppression during a period when such topics were considered taboo. The poem is incredibly moving, and made all the more beautiful by Audra McDonald’s magnificent voice.

1.

Some days worry
some days glad
some days
more than make you
mad.
Some days,
some days, more than
shine:
when you see what’s coming
on down the line!

2.

Some days you say,
oh, not me never ⎯ !
Some days you say
bless God forever.
Some days, you say,
curse God, and die
and the day comes when you wrestle
with that lie.
Some days tussle
then some days groan
and some days
don’t even leave a bone.
Some days you hassle
all alone.

3.

I don’t know, sister,
what I’m saying,
nor do no man,
if he don’t be praying.
I know that love is the only answer
and the tight-rope lover
the only dancer.
When the lover come off the rope
today,
the net which holds him
is how we pray,
and not to God’s unknown,
but to each other ⎯ :
the falling mortal is our brother!

4.

Some days leave
some days grieve
some days you almost don’t believe.
Some days believe you
and you won’t.
Some days worry
some days mad
some days more than make you glad.
Some days, some days,
more than shine,
witnesses,
coming on down the line!