Elizabeth Alexander
Barack Obama was elected today as the first African-American president of the United States of America. The natural born orator from Hawaii inspired the tens of thousands of people who thronged Washington DC to see history being made before their tear laden eyes. It was therefore natural, for only the fourth ever inauguration poet, to be somewhat of a shadow when following on from the president’s impressive first speech.
Elizabeth Alexander’s poem “Praise Song for the Day” was indeed a shadow and quite a forgettable shadow at that. The dull and somewhat monotonous reading style improved very little the bland and repetitious verses of a confusing poem. Whilst Obama’s speech will be remembered for decades to come, Alexander’s poem has most likely already been forgotten by most people.
The poem’s general message is one of hope, love and the memory of sacrifice which are naturally appropriate themes for a presidential inauguration, especially that of the first black commander-in-chief. However the structure, delivery and overly free-style soul lacked the conviction and greatness of the occasion. Perhaps if Obama had read the poem, or a famous Hollywood actor like Denzel Washington, then the oratory would have overcome the lacklustre words, that is possible, yet doubtful.
There is no doubting Elizabeth Alexander’s talent as a poet. She has published five books of poems including The Venus Hottentot (1990), Body of Life (1996), Antebellum Dream Book (2001), American Sublime (2005) and Miss Crandall’s School for Young Ladies and Little Misses of Color (2008). Alexander has also won numerous awards both for her poems and essays, amongst them the Connecticut Book Award, Alphonse Fletcher Sr. Fellowship, the 2007 Jackson Prize for Poetry, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and the George Kent Award.
Unfortunately, her reputation, that led to Barack Obama inviting her to be his inauguration poet, did not mean a great poem to match that of Robert Frost’s ‘The Gift Outright‘ (admittedly not the poem he originally wrote for the inauguration of JFK) in 1961. Alexander’s poem ‘Praise Song for the Day‘ (see below) was the wrong poem for the right occasion.
Elizabeth Alexander currently teaches in the Department of African American Studies at Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut.
‘Praise Song for the Day’ – The 2009 Presidential Inauguration Poem
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 consider 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.
© Elizabeth Alexander – (source)
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
it would take a phenomenol talent to follow the talents of Barack Obama, both in terms of oratory and content. i thought she struck the right note, one of unity, and recognition of our everydayness that connects us.
no it wasn’t brilliant. but who would want to upstage the president –Barack Obama!–anyway?
The poem was terrible. The excuse that Obama was a hard act to follow is feeble. Admit it, the emperor had no clothes.
huh. I felt the beauty in the everyday, the hardwon freedom and equality, the ‘ now lets walk on, we are all mostly good and true in our different ways’
This poem spoke to me and spoke clearly, and easily. I didnt have to struggle to understand.
I am beginning to understand more however about you, edward about where you are right now. I know an intelligent, educated, intellectual, gay young man, a close friend. In his teenage years, he spoke like you, sharp, hurtful, intelligent words. Attack disguised as debate. He always took the most offensive, most disturbing stand that he could, unfailingly negative, compassionless, often. He just wanted to be acknowledged. Underneath it his heart was good, and he grew out of it.
He is a wonderful person, and lives an authentic life now.
Excuse me if I ignore your tantrums.
Art Predator: True in a sense. It would have been most unfortunate if the poet had upstaged the president.
Daire: I wasn’t aware I was having a tantrum. I’m glad your friend managed to overcome his negativity and grow into a compassionate and authentic gentleman.
You liked the poem, that is great. I gave my personal opinion of it. With respect, there is no need to be rude.
Thank you.
I completely agree with you. The sentiment was solid, the delivery was nothing short of awful and distracted from what could have been a memorable presentation. I would have gone with Morgan Freeman though or James Earl Jones.
Please tell me: is it CONSIDER or CONSIDERS?
Thanks
Adriaan: It depends what the context is. ‘Considers’ for example is the third-person singular simple present.
I found the poem by Elizabeth Alexander boring, meaningless and dolorous. It was a wasted moment for something that should have been rich for the occasion. DO NOT TELL ME THAT IT WAS BECAUSE I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND IT: WHAT WAS THERE TO UNDERSTAND!
James Sakku
Columbia University
NYC
Dr. Alexander:
If you get another chance to write or read a poem for another occasion, please do better. Regardless of what people are saying in order to be polite, your poem meant a lot to only you, personally, and not to many people who watched you, heard you, and was waiting for something to remember.
Your poem remembered alright, but only because it was unremarkable. C+
Gerrick Robinson
While she is an accomplished poet her poem lacked the imagery and on a few occasions grammar expertise. It was lackluster at best. Wrong choice of poet and poem. Just my opinion.
I agree with you Jodapoet.
I believe the poem was very lackluster. I was disappointed because that was a great day in the history of our country, and the poem read should have been much better.
In another day and another time this poet would not even be considered such!
Obama can be hilarious sometimes…..