In ceremonies and silence we say the words, How it was born and who we have been and where.
Presidential Inauguration of Bill Clinton, 1997: Miller Williams, “ Of History and Hope” Praise song for every hand-lettered sign, Praise song for struggle, praise song for the day. They would then keep clean and work inside of. Who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges, Sing the names of the dead who brought us here, Say it plain: that many have died for this day. Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama, 2009: Elizabeth Alexander, “ Praise Song for the Day” To teach geometry, or ring-up groceries as my mother didįor twenty years, so I could write this poem. On our way to clean tables, read ledgers, or save lives. Silver trucks heavy with oil or paper-īricks or milk, teeming over highways alongside us, Pencil-yellow school buses, the rhythm of traffic lights,įruit stands: apples, limes, and oranges arrayed like rainbowsīegging our praise. My face, your face, millions of faces in morning’s mirrors,Įach one yawning to life, crescendoing into our day:
Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama, 2013: Richard Blanco, “ One Today” Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy.īut while democracy can be periodically delayed, We’ve seen a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it, Presidential Inauguration of Joe Biden, 2021: Amanda Gorman, “ The Hill We Climb” While you wait to hear what she came up with, or-let’s be real-while you wait for Trump’s presidency to finally, officially be over, you could do worse than reading over what some of our best poets had to say on this occasion over the years. (Yes, they’ve all been Democrats.) When she takes the stage, Amanda Gorman, at 22, will be the youngest ever inaugural poet, and perhaps the one shouldering the greatest challenge, considering the circumstances. Today, Joe Biden will become only the fourth president in American history to have a poet read at their inauguration.
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