Comments on: Obama’s Inauguration Poem ‘Praise Song for the Day’

By: heather

heather — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:40:27 +0000

Charla, for the appreciation of Elizabeth Alexander’s awful and poor poem, what did you drink that the morning, coffee or vodka? I suspect the latter!

By: Charla

Charla — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:37:50 +0000

For me, The poem and reading are some of my favorite memories of the day and the inauguration. To me Obama’s speech was what I expected — perfect. Praise song for the Day was also brilliant in it’s feeling (what I suspect) the experience of the black community as it watched the momentous occasion. I found myself in full tears not during Obama’s speech, but during her poem. It is so beautiful, i bought the little special printing booklet of it, and read it all the time in groups that need that extra little moment to lift hearts in the darkness.

Yay Elizabeth Alexander. She became another favorite poet that day.

By: toby

toby — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:59:21 +0000

A job poorly done.

By: valentine's day poems for bob

valentine's day poems for bob — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 02:20:00 +0000

Obama can be hilarious sometimes…..

By: Paul

Paul — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 21:48:22 +0000

In another day and another time this poet would not even be considered such!

By: Dan

Dan — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:52:48 +0000

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.

By: Edward

Edward — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 23:08:21 +0000

I agree with you Jodapoet.

By: Jodapoet

Jodapoet — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 22:39:06 +0000

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.

By: Gerrick Robinson

Gerrick Robinson — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 05:24:31 +0000

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

By: James Sakku

James Sakku — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 07:12:45 +0000

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