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Question: This is the poem that was read at The Inauguration today!. Hmmmm!?
Praise Song

Each day we go about our business,
walking past each other, catching each other's
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 considers 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 some one 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 thyself,
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 pre-empt grievance!.

In today's sharp sparkle, this winter air,
any thing can be made, any sentence begun!.
On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp,
praise song for walking forward in that light!.

Copyright ? 2009 by Elizabeth Alexander!. All rights reserved!.Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
I think it's kind of cool!. At any given moment, millions of people are doing million's of different things all at the same time!. And, " We walk into that which we cannot yet see!. !.!.!.and the praise and the song!.!.!.!." For a few moments on this day, nearly everyone was doing the same thing, walking the same path: welcoming Obama, and metaphorically speaking, we were all walking forward to that light!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I have not picked any cotton in years!. Somehow, after reading this, I feel like I've let you guys down agriculturally!. I will go straight out and build a bridge and I'll need Nancy to run thing!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

me missed it!.
me now read it :
it is not warm!.!.
it is cold!.!.
it is freezing!.!.
it is dead!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I think I'm gonna put myself out there and prophecy a re-run of Alex Haley's 'ROOTS' mini-series coming up on TV!.!.!. maybe even a remake!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

I was waiting for the likes of Angelou and found myself quite disappointed!. In Elizabeth Alexander's defense it does read better than she spoke it!. Thanks Buk for showing me that much!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

LMAO ! Rush Limbaugh played exerts as that lady read it ! Freakin hilarious ! He said she sounded exactly like the GPS unit in his car ! I concur-she did !Www@QuestionHome@Com

I know (or assume) it was meant to be powerfully inspiring; however, it doesn't read that way to me!. Is it just me!? Am I missing something!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

**prepares for thumbs down** I must agree with you!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It's pathetic and you know it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I heard this recited from the other room!. It did not make me get up and go in there to watch her !.!.!.as she recited!. I remember !.!.!.tuning her out!. Is that ok!?

Ahhh C!.S!.!.!.!.!.thank you for that perspective!. You are, of course, right!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Dang!!.!.!.I don't get it!Www@QuestionHome@Com

The poem - though a bit lofty and wordy - was a great poem for THIS inauguration!. I like it a lot and I'm stickin to it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I thought is was hilarious!!!
I did not like it at all!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It was good to me!. I myself have picked cotton along side of those blacks!.!. fingers bleeding , sweat pouring from the brow!. I knew every word she was saying !.!. if you never lived in the deep south you would not know!.It was so so hard for blacks in the south and the whites down here could care less!.!. except for a handful of us that knew !.!.and that word was love!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It reads better than delivered!.!.!.I feel an enormous amount of compassion for her!.!.!.put yourself in her shoes reading your work before2 million live folks, and how many more on TV and radio here and around the world!. I don't know about you but I probably would have wet myself!Www@QuestionHome@Com

She read it poorly, I admit, perhaps she was worried about the sound delay!. All I know was that I was thrilled it was a non-rhymer!.!.!.only hearing it and not seeing it in print, I also thought it was free verse!. At least it was nice to have something non-traditional!. Agree that it was not strong!.

maWww@QuestionHome@Com