Eight other well known names took to the floral stage to recite their favourite American poetry. However, the gentle rule was sometimes ignored, especially by scientist Harold Varmus who chose a selection of British poetry by John Donne. Gyllenhaal selected a piece by the Russian Anna Akhmatova.

As well as poetry readings, the guests were encouraged to share their own personal stories relating to poetry. Composer Steve Reich recalled visiting a bookstore in central Manhattan and discovering the work of William Carlos Williams. The poet Mark Strand pointed to his favourite poem that he wished he himself had written, Archibald MacLeish’s “You, Andrew Marvell”.

Among the other guests to speak on stage were the poets Rose Styron and Jorie Graham, Author-humorist Roy Blount Jr, and the singer Joan Baez who admitted she knew nothing about reading poetry.

The American National Poetry Month runs until the end of April.

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.

On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp — praise song for walking forward in that light.

© Elizabeth Alexander – (source)

Barney Bush

The kids want a Labradoodle, that is
A mix between a Labrador and Poodle.
President-elect Barack Obama
Soon to be inaugurated this month
Is desperately seeking a First Dog.
“Cockerpoo Daddy!” says Malia Ann
As she suggests some more alternatives,
Whilst Sasha mulls over a Great Schnauzer.
The present alpha-mutt is Barney Bush
Who is most famous for chewing the hand
Of a mean paparazzo, last Autumn.
Scots Terrier off the list, last Autumn.
Michelle wants a Portuguese Water Dog
Apparently, to match her new shag pile,
Much preferable to a Bullshitzu.

© Edward Beaman-Hodgkiss

Note: Malia Ann and Sasha are the two daughters of Barack and Michelle Obama.

“One year is enough,” said Simic. “Washington is too far, and the travel these days is no fun.”

Simic lives with his wife on the shores of Bow Lake in Strafford, New Hampshire, where he is professor emeritus of American literature and creative writing at the University of New Hampshire. Within the space of a few months, he had travelled back and forth between Washington a total of nine times and made numerous trips to give readings as far afield as the Mid West and California.

The Serbian-American poet who was born in Belgrade in 1938, moved to the States at the age of 16 with his family and settled in Chicago. He was later to earn a B.A. from New York University. His war-torn beginnings have influenced much of his poetry and indeed his political views.

“I got invitations to the White House, but I didn’t go,”

The poet laureate has an office with a parlour overlooking the Capitol and from there he formed numerous opinions of the national political culture. “Washington is the capital of a corrupt empire fighting two hopeless wars and yearning to have more,” he said. “Every powerful figure in Washington is surrounded by a flock of beautiful, well-educated, highly competent women who run after them all day carrying documents, reminding them of appointments and flattering them how good they look. No wonder these men think they are geniuses.”

The transition from ‘travelling salesman’ back to full-time poet was not a hard one. However whilst relieved he is also aware of the great importance of the position of poet laureate to be vital. “It reminds Americans that there’s such a thing as poetry and that poets are people like them,” he said. “They may believe poets have their heads in the clouds, and then they meet or hear one and are delighted that it isn’t so.”

One thing that has shocked Simic, especially over the last couple of years, is the amount of poetry being written and read in America. He said: “People who do not think so ought to go on the internet and type in ‘poetry’ and be prepared to fall off their chairs. This is a country of loners, and poetry, it seems, is the only place one can speak about that solitude and read the work of others who are in the same boat.”

As well as being a world renowned poet, Charles Simic is also a philosopher, essayist, translator and commentator on various subjects including Jazz and Art. He is currently the poetry editor, along with Meghan O’Rourke, for The Paris Review and was one of the judges for the 2007 Canadian Griffin Poetry Prize. His latest book of poems, That Little Something, was published in early 2008.