Friday, January 16, 2009

Back In The Limelight

The Presidential Inauguration is just a few days away. Keep your eyes and ears open for a rarity: The Inauguration Poet.

There has only been 3 poets who have had the honor of reading at the swearing-in ceremony. First, there was Robert Frost (for JFK in 1961), then Maya Angelou (for Bill Clinton in 1993) and Miller Williams (for Bill Clinton in 1997). And now you can add Elizabeth Alexander to that list.

A Yale professor and friend of the Obamas, she has said that "writing an occasional poem has to attend to the moment itself, but what you hope for, as an artist, is to create something that has integrity and life that goes beyond the moment" (from The New York Times). I can't wait to hear what she comes up with! And she has promised to be brief--that's my kind of poem!

Ars Poetica #100: I Believe by Elizabeth Alexander

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16 comments:

angie said...

Nice!

Under the Influence said...

I thought maybe you were going to announce that you were the Inauguration Poet!

Mary Lynn said...

I like that poem a lot!

kel said...

Very nice!!! I love Poetry Friday!!

Anita said...

I love it! I really like her definition. Can't wait til Tuesday!

Evolving Mommy Catherine said...

That was lovely.

Elisabeth said...

Great poem! You have received an award. Go to my blog and check it out! Thank you!!

tollesons4him said...

Great poem!

Jenni Jiggety said...

Cool! I will be interested to hear what she says!

Putz said...

`wow, quite the scholar and liz is quite the poet...it sounds like big o is going to get off to a real good start to me

sheila said...

oooooooo, nice stuff! Can't wait to watch on Tuesday.

Chris said...

I like it.

WPMomOf2 (jen) said...

Like my singing, my poetry stinks! lol. Two things I suck at most in life.

La Mom said...

Thanks to you I'll be on the lookout for her and paying attention to her poem!

Michelle said...

I left you an award on my blog. Go check it out!

Janel@Dandelion Dayz said...

It was a a very good poem, didn't you think?