Poet Richard Blanco reads One Today at Obama inauguration
Richard Blanco has made US history by becoming the first Hispanic, openly gay and also the youngest poet to read at a US presidential inauguration. Blanco, 44, delivered his poem One Today at the second-term inauguration of President Barack Obama. The poem refers to the recent US school killings in Connecticut and "the impossible vocabulary of sorrow", and also to the hard work of the poet's own father and mother in cutting sugarcane and ringing-up groceries "so my brother and I could have books and shoes". Blanco, who grew up in Miami as the child of Cuban exiles, was following in the footsteps of Robert Frost, who was selected by President Kennedy when he started the tradition in 1961, and Maya Angelou, who was chosen by Bill Clinton in 1993. You can read Blanco’s poem here, and about previous inaugural poems here
Chris Co
Wed 23rd Jan 2013 07:13
Walt Whitman has nothing to fear! lol
Overly sentimental, schmaltzy, non lateral, list poem.
Highlights include his rain and footstep moments, but the moon imagery was particulaly poor. A silent drum tapping...oh sure (jeez).
Very faux-aspiration/inspiration though and I'm sure many enjoy that. As ridiculous a look at America as Wordsworth's view of London via Westminster bridge.
It's most apt for any politician gaining office. Even if it is the politician I would choose if American.
Neither Wordsworth nor this guy can smell the shit or the reality.
Nice postcards.
Real American poetry, a real address;
Go on youtube and type in 'leaves of grass' and click on the third link down - Walt Whitman. I would just add the link but the site has issues with ipad links.