Inaugural Poem: Praise Song For The Day
Inaugural poet Elizabeth Alexander.
Written and recited by Elizabeth Alexander.* Transcript via the NY Times.
[Update: Formatted in much more authentic fashion here.]
Praise song for the day.Each day we go about our business, walking past each other, catching each others' eyes or not, about to speak or speaking. All about us is noise. All about us is noise and bramble, thorn and din, each one of our ancestors on our tongues. Someone is stitching up a hem, darning a hole in a uniform, patching a tire, repairing the things in need of repair.
Someone is trying to make music somewhere with a pair of wooden spoons on an oil drum with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice.
A woman and her son wait for the bus.
A farmer considers the changing sky; A teacher says, "Take out your pencils. Begin."
We encounter each other in words, words spiny or smooth, whispered or declaimed; words to consider, reconsider.
We cross dirt roads and highways that mark the will of someone and then others who said, "I need to see what's on the other side; I know there's something better down the road."
We need to find a place where we are safe; We walk into that which we cannot yet see.
Say it plain, that many have died for this day. Sing the names of the dead who brought us here, who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges, picked the cotton and the lettuce, built brick by brick the glittering edifices they would then keep clean and work inside of.
Praise song for struggle; praise song for the day. Praise song for every hand-lettered sign; The figuring it out at kitchen tables.
Some live by "Love thy neighbor as thy self."
Others by first do no harm, or take no more than you need.
What if the mightiest word is love, love beyond marital, filial, national. Love that casts a widening pool of light. Love with no need to preempt grievance.
In today's sharp sparkle, this winter air, anything can be made, any sentence begun.
On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp -- praise song for walking forward in that light.
Critics are already voicing their opinions.
I loved it.
*More about Professor Alexander:
Alexander, a 2006 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for poetry for her work, American Sublime, will become the fourth poet to read a poem written especially for the occasion. (Robert Frost was the first at the Kennedy inauguration in 1960).Alexander, who teaches in the African-American Studies Department at Yale University, recently told School Library Journal that as students and teachers watch the January 20 inaugural ceremony, she’s delighted that they’ll also reflect on the poem. “As a teacher who works with students daily, I think that it is wonderful that I will be contributing something to assist other teachers,” she says.
January 21st, 2009 - 13:06
I’d love to hear more about the reasons why you loved the poem, since I’m one of the critics but am finding that some people enjoyed it and with good reason. By the way, MSNBC got a copy of the poem from the publisher, with the “real” line breaks. The link is at the beginning of my blog post.
January 22nd, 2009 - 21:29
Thanks for the comment, Daniel.
The poem struck me because Prof. Alexander did a few things very smoothly and very well.
First, she’s talking about just how momentous an occasion Obama’s becoming president is for African Americans. Though she never says as much directly, that she is talking about African American history in the US is implied by references to things unique among their experience: songs as central to the culture, from slavery till today; picking cotton, painting signs to protest for civil rights. She speaks of music unique to her own culture:
Of course, many of these references have also been a part of the experience of other groups. She expands out to include the immigrant experience more generally, the Chinese in the West, for example:
She speaks of racism and societal discord, sometimes shouted publicly and other times spoken in private… or maybe just arguments among busy people struggling to get by:
She calls for unity, speaking with reference to different groups who have been combative over social and economic issues though all have similar objectives and the best interests of the nation at heart. Christians, doctors, conservationists and those calling for sustainability.
She reminds us of other, relevant trying times in our history, of lessons about the need to save and mend rather than buy new during lean times, and of our current missions to halt global warming and improve our educational system (even referencing the extra challenge faced by single mothers).
Most of all, though, she speaks of hope, of our ability and of opportunity that she believes will be available thanks to the day’s change in leadership.
What I like most about Obama is that he sees the Zen simplicity in acting in an open, honest, truthful manner. Still, he understands how difficult it is to maintain the discipline needed to forge ahead along that path. It’s his courage that’s astounding, that he sees this challenge, accepts it, and moves forward that makes him such a great leader and gives such hope.
Prof. Alexander included all of this in her poem, and she did so using only the most simple language, the least complex phrasing. She’s deliberate, thoughtful, optimistic and realistic, just like our new President. And that’s why I enjoyed her poem so, so much.
January 23rd, 2009 - 03:39
I really love you explication, too! You picked up on a lot of allusions and references that I’ve missed so far. Particularly poignant is the connection between laying train tracks and Chinese immigrants. Thank you.
January 24th, 2009 - 22:31
Here’s a great image that fits well with the poem.