Obama Inaugural Poet Elizabeth Alexander Gets D Minus in Poetry Composition

Some Folks Feel that Elizabeth Alexander's Inaugural Poem Needs More Work

Yale professor Elizabeth Alexander is a personal friend of the Obamas and was chosen by Barack Obama to write a poem for his inauguration. Sources close to the family say that Barack Obama chose a familiar face rather than a better-known poet. The Huffington Post's John Lundgren described her as "well-regarded," an adjective which does not, to me, represent the highest praise. Still, having a poet compose something on commission for one's inaugural is fairly rare; Alexander will only be the fourth poet to recite and compose.

Poet Robert Frost's recitation and composition at JFK's inauguration one cold day in January is now legendary. Frost's poem was called "The Gift Outright" and was recited as a substitute for Frost's planned poem "Dedication." The reason the 86 year old Frost didn't read "Dedication" was because of the incredibly cold, windy, and snowy weather that day and Frost hadn't memorized it. He recited "The Gift Outright" by heart.

Writer/poet Maya Angelou recited "The Pulse of Morning" at Bill Clinton's Inaugural and Clinton chose Miller Williams and his poem "Of History and Hope" for his second inauguration. Both are erstwhile poems that resonated with attendees of the events, as well as with the Lit Crit crowd.

Elizabeth Alexander's poem has an announced title which is almost as long as the short poem she composed and read. Her poem is entitled: "Praise Song for the Day: A Poem for Barack Obama's Presidential Inauguration," the full text of which can be read within this link.

I think back to the poetry I was taught in high school and college and remember that I was advised to look at literature "judiciously." I have to say, then that my judicious sense, my artistic sensibilities, were not moved by such stanzas as these, which begin the 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.