Okay. So...yeah. The Inaugural Poem. I don't know. It was okay. Good but not great. And it certainly didn't help that Elizabeth Alexander followed the President and his own speech. How do you top that? I think people were expecting a rousing, moving, rhythmic poem and instead got a quiet, cerebral poem that starts off promising but ends talking about, gulp, love. Love? In an inaugural poem?
The general concensus on the internet is that this is the worst poem in the history of the universe, but what do you think? Do you think she did okay or do you think that even Nicholas Sparks could have come up with something better than this?
Praise Song for the Day by Elizabeth Alexander
Posts
While I don't think it's the worst poem ever (not even close, I actually like the poem) I don't think it's at all right for what it was used for. And in order to follow the President speaking it should have been something just as powerful and moving, but that's just my $.02.
ReplyDeleteAwww, come on, all we need is love! :)
ReplyDeleteMay President Obama (I love the way that sounds!) should have written the poem to be read.
I didn't like that poem at all. And the way she read it was horrible. The whole time I kept wondering WHY they didn't have Maya Angelou doing it.
ReplyDeleteI am conflicted about the poem. I don't think it was the most horrible thing, however I don't think it was great. The word that comes to mind is bland. It just didn't have the spark that I expected the inaugural poem to have.
ReplyDeleteI missed most of the inauguration ceremony, so I didn't hear her read it. I'd heard so many people complain about how HORRIBLE it was, though, that I expected it to be much worse. I actually think it's a pretty good poem. I think the thing with many poems is that they need to be read well in order to be really appreciated. From all accounts, it sounds like she did not read it well at all.
ReplyDeleteI remember back in University that I had to read a number of Margaret Atwood poems for one course, and I wasn't crazy over them. Near the end of the term, though, I had the opportunity to hear her do a reading of one of her books on campus. After reading from the book and answering questions she read from a few of her poems. I loved them. She knew just where to put emphasis, where to pause, where to raise her eyebrow in amusement. She made the poems witty and interesting in a way that they could not have been if they'd been read by someone who did not deliver the lines so well. Unfortunately, not every writer is a confident public speaker, too.
that poem inspired me, yes it shirley did, but i am still awiting your tretis on aliens....p.s my new , no second new blog is looking for a a ctual alien...see blog
ReplyDeleteI found it pretty boring and defenently wasn't helped my her monotone recital.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I thought the way she read it was a little goofy. But, I liked the poem, itself. I thought it was fitting.
ReplyDeleteI didn't really care about the poem that much I felt they could have chosen a better one!!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteVisiting from Kristen's...
I love poetry and I have to say I was very unimpressed with this one. I can imagine it must have been a tall order (the pressure!) but I am surprised she didn't come up with something better than this.
Off to check out the rest of your blog.
:) Robin
It was okay, I guess! I am certainly no poetry expert...but it didn't seem GRAND enough to me.
ReplyDeleteyes, it is being widely talked about. It was, interesting. Fox is the only on =e tho that has had honest opinions about it so far, that I have heard. Great post Ali! ♥ LA
ReplyDeleteJust stopping by for a quick visit to say thank you so much for stopping by on my big, bloggy day yesterday! :->
ReplyDeleteI've said it before, I don't know crap about poetry, lol...the only "C" I made in College was English 102...but I still graduated with honors!
ReplyDeleteHey Ali check out my post from Friday :)
ReplyDeleteI didn't hear it spoken, but reading it I think I like it. Maybe if we had a lot more love we would have a lot less problems.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to simply read that poem and have no exectations for it, I would like it.
ReplyDeleteYou were so right. Following the President was or would've been impossible for anyone.
ReplyDeleteVisiting from SITS!
I thought it was good, I don't think it was the worst.
ReplyDeleteIf I can't say anything nice....and I can't, so...
ReplyDeleteM ^..^
Honestly I had a hard time even understanding what it was doing there.
ReplyDeleteI do think that following Obama's address was not the best. He is too good of a speaker for many people to follow and sound as powerful.
ReplyDeleteI like the poem itself, though.