Thursday, January 21, 2021

Poetry Friday: My Whole Soul Is In It

Since I started this blog in 2006, I have posted about two inaugural poems: those recited at both of President Obama's inaugurations. Here, in 2009, I wrote about Elizabeth Alexander's "Praise Song for the Day" and here I reflected more on Elizabeth Alexander and wrote my own poem that was sort of connected to the inauguration. And then here I shared Richard Blanco's "One Today." I didn't post about the 2016 inauguration because there wasn't any poetry performed there. In fact, the only presidents who have ever included poetry in their inaugurations have been Democrats: JFK, Clinton twice, Obama twice, and now Biden. Why don't Republicans do this? I don't know. Here's an article from poets.org about all the inaugural poems in history.

 

I'm positive that I won't be the only one to write about Amanda Gorman's poem today. It was, simply put, amazing. In a day of much to appreciate, Gorman stood out. First of all, she was decades younger than anyone else who spoke at the inauguration itself. Secondly, she wore an arresting yellow coat and red headband. And thirdly, her poem gave me goosebumps, even after I had heard it probably eight times.

 

I decided I must share this poem with my students, and I did that on Thursday. My students don't live in the United States but most of them have been there; some were born there. All are affected by what happens there. Of course, people around the world are affected by US events, but perhaps Haiti is more influenced than some places, for reasons that have to do with history and culture and that I won't go into right now.  


I passed out a transcript of Gorman's presentation (which I found here) and asked the students to underline or highlight lines that they particularly appreciated. ("Or," I added because I didn't start teaching middle school yesterday, "maybe you will hate some lines, and if so, underline those.") It was so fun to watch some students highlight almost the whole poem (for love, not hate) as they listened. My very favorite moment was hearing an eighth grader say, as the video was just beginning, "Wait, she's Black?" YES my dear, she is Black! There is so much power in kids seeing people who look like them up in front of everyone being wonderful. After we watched the video, we shared the lines we had liked, and nobody at all said anything about disliking any of it. 


But Amanda Gorman wasn't the only person who used poetic words. I loved hearing Joe Biden talk about his heart: "Hear us out as we move forward. Take a measure of me and my heart." But it was even better to hear him talk about his soul. My favorite line from his speech was when he talked about Abraham Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and saying that if his name went down in history at all, it would be for that document. Lincoln added, "My whole soul is in it." And, said Biden, "My whole soul is in it today, on this January day. My whole soul is in this, bringing American together, uniting our people, uniting our nation. And I ask every American to join me in this cause. Uniting to fight the foes we face -- anger, resentment and hatred. Extremism, lawlessness, violence, disease, joblessness, and hopelessness."


Friends, I know he has his work cut out for him. I know the words spoken on Inauguration Day are often poetic, but that the work is full-on prose. But oh, wasn't it wonderful to hear the words, anyway?

 

Because I can't resist, here are a couple more links. Here's Anderson Cooper interviewing Amanda Gorman (and telling her she's awesome). Here's a transcript of President Biden's speech.  

 


And here are a few of my favorite lines from Gorman's poem:

 

And yet the dawn is ours

before we knew it

...

a nation that isn't broken

but simply unfinished

 ...

We are striving...

To compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and conditions of man.

And so we lift our gazes not to what stands between us

but what stands before us

...

That even as we grieved, we grew

That even as we hurt, we hoped

That even as we tired, we tried

...

Scripture tells us to envision

that everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree

And no one shall make them afraid

...

It's because being American is more than a pride we inherit,

it's the past we step into

and how we repair it

...

So while once we asked,

how could we possibly prevail over catastrophe?

Now we assert

How could catastrophe possibly prevail over us?

...

we will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one

...

The new dawn blooms as we free it

For there is always light,

if only we're brave enough to see it

If only we're brave enough to be it


Laura Shovan has today's roundup.

19 comments:

Sally Murphy said...

Ruth, I feel like all our souls are in it this week - even from as far away as Australia. That poem, that speech, that relief that change and healing can begin for the USA.

Linda B said...

I love hearing about your students' reactions, Ruth and all your post. "Wait, she's black?" brings some tears, just as Amanda Gorman's poem did for me, among other moments yesterday, all joyous! I think I watched it about 8 times, too. I ordered her book saw her tweet that both her books are numbers one & two on Amazon. I've seeing others share, too. She won't soon be forgotten.

Margaret Simon said...

We are kindred spirits, Ruth. I had to present Amanda's poem to my students. And I will do so again and again. It's so packed with good stuff, I could write a whole unit of study on it. What a hero for our young black students (girls, especially). I love that Amanda's blackness is being flashed all over the Internet as an icon of beauty and strength. This is a new day!

Irene Latham said...

Ruth, I love how you introduced Amanda and her poem to your students... great of you to allow for the "lines you don't like," too. :) A new hero is born for sure. xo

Janice Scully said...

It is so moving, this post about this poem and reminding us how what goes on in the U.S. affects people in Haiti and all over the world. I'm so glad you studied the poem with your students, one of the very best things to come from America.

jama said...

So wonderful to hear how your students reacted to Amanda's poem. To see someone not only black, but so young up there must have been a little surreal to them. The sense of empowerment was awesome, not only from Amanda but of course Kamala making history too.

I thought Biden gave his best speech yet on Wednesday. I agree with you about "my whole soul is in it." So moving, and the thing is, we know he actually means it. So many speeches are the usual empty rhetoric, but his speech rang true and authentic. It was food for all our souls, after being starved for truth and decency for four years.

Carol Varsalona said...

Ruth, it is so exciting to hear that your students were impressed with Amanda's poem. I think all language arts and social studies teachers should share the poem as you did. I know I will with my graduate students this summer. Thanks also for the links. Biden's speech was also one of grandeur with its lean toward poetic thought. His presentation was just what the country needed. Oh, what a day of hope it was.

Bridget Magee said...

I, too, was inspired by Ms Gorman's words, oration, and everything else about her - so much so that I posted about her as well! ;) I love that you were able to share her words with your students - another way this administration has already had a profoundly positive impact on the future at home AND abroad.

Linda Mitchell said...

My students join yours today. I posted this poem in our discussion group for Poetry Friday. It's early yet--sometimes the discussion picks up on the weekend. But, I'm just delighted that my students can look up to the civility and respect and soul and heart of people on inauguration day. Thank God.

Kay said...

I am with your students--underlining line after line that I loved. Like you, got goosebumps every time I listened to and read Gorman's poem. As strong and as hopeful as her words are, her performance brought them to life. More than anything, I found Wednesday's events to be filled with hope in spite of the challenges we face.

author amok said...

Thank you for joining the link-up today, Ruth. I appreciate that so many people are sharing their students' responses. What a profound choice to invite a young poet to speak at the inauguration. Children, teens, young adults must feel like they were represented (and will be represented) at this historic moment like never before.

Fran Haley said...

Dear Ruth - we are all celebrating the healing power of poetry in the light of young Amanda's words. I celebrate the light you shed also. Always thankful for your spiritual compass - <3 Fran

laurasalas said...

I love how you celebrated Amanda's stunning poem and used it to life up your students, to. Gorgeous.

mbhmaine said...

I'm right there celebrating with you, Ruth! It is wondrous and wonderful to see powerful words wielded articulately, not to wound, but to unite. Not to deny reality and truth, but to offer a path forward toward the light, toward growth. So many of the lines you highlighted resonated with me, too. Thanks for a fabulous post!

Christie Wyman said...

It was, indeed, refreshing to hear our President speak from his heart and soul. I know he meant every word of it. I can feel it in my bones. And, yes, Amanda Gorman's wise words bring goosebumps when I think of them.

Tabatha said...

You are a truly wise teacher! ♥️

Mary Lee said...

Yes, yes, yes! My students, too, are digging into her words with gusto (she's not just Black, she's YOUNG). We'll ALL learn lots from her as we slowly work through her poem all week this coming week.

Michelle Heidenrich Barnes said...

Amanda Gorman's light will shine a good long time, to be sure, and SO WELL DESERVED, but I'm so glad you mentioned your favorite lines from Biden, Ruth. Those were my favorite lines too. What a treasure to have a president who we can trust to mean what he says because the words he speaks with his eyes and his heart are equal to the ones he speaks with his voice.

michelle kogan said...

I'm sighing with happiness from last weeks inaugural, Amanda Gorman's poem and President Biden's speech. Keeping my hopes up and carefully watching what comes. Thanks Ruth!