Thursday, January 28, 2021

A young poet gets national attention

 Jan. 20, 2021

I had no idea that our country even had a National Youth Poet Laureate, but Amanda Gorman, age 22, was clearly a great choice for the gig and to speak at the inauguration.


The inauguration ceremonies felt more like a giant church service than anything else, including a youth pastor (Amanda) sharing some ideas and inspiration.


My writing classes do not normally include poetry but they certainly focus on clear ideas and effective rhetoric. If you missed Ms. Gorman’s recitation of her poem, you can easily find it online. Lady Gaga supplied a muscular rendition of the national anthem, JLo was terrific, and Garth Brooks shared a heartfelt “Amazing Grace.” Lots of good stuff.


Oh, and President Biden emphasized unity and truth and patriotism and civility. Those are tough qualities to argue with, though I am certain Americans will give it a shot.


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