Inaugural Poet Previews Obama Work

"To have great poetry there must be great audiences, too," Walt Whitman said. He was talking about the quality of a poet's readers. But there is little doubt, given the intense global interest in President-elect Barack Obama, that Ms. Alexander's verse will be broadcast to more people at one time than any poem ever composed. This may not be American poetry's Academy Award moment. But it is, for Ms. Alexander, an outsize platform.

What the world will hear at Mr. Obama's inauguration is the work of a woman whose verse makes a sharply different kind of music from that of any of the inaugural poets who have preceded her.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[mergina]

What's the point? The entire event will be TAINTED FROM THE GET GO once Warren opens his sickening mouth. Whatever Obama has to say or do on this, which should be an event to remember, will forever be tainted by Warren's words spoken before him, and his horrible blunder in picking him to do so.

[bogues]

You think one man saying a prayer will ruin the day. You give that man way too much credit.

[NealHib]

I have tickets to inauguaral from my senators office. Where does that put me from the podium? I can't find any kind of chart for the layout of the capitol area seating.

[hapiday]

Selecting people for the inauguration is a feat in itself. There are so many elements that must be considered. All groups and ideologies must be covered. And, each person/performer must be granted equal amount of time and importance. I love words and can appreciate people who can write, composed and verbally expressed them so that they come alive for others that hear them. The poetry selection is as important as the invocation, the benediction or the song selection. They all have equal importance to me.
Dr. Alexander don't be afraid, just do your best. I will be there to witness history and cannot wait.

[doyle005]

Why does the media always fail to include the Dr. in front of professors names? Ms. Alexander should be Dr. Alexander. Why does the press only print Dr. when talking about medical doctors? Complete lack of respect for higher education.

[Georgia1992]

Amen! The press probably doesn't want to acknowledge it.

[Heaphy]

Let me begin by saying that this is a fascinating article and I look forward to hearing Elizabeth Alexander's upcoming poem on January 20. To answer doyle005's question, rules of etiquette going back many years state that only physicians are addressed as Dr. in everyday parlance. Those who hold other doctorates are called Dr. only in an academic setting. There is nothing disrespectful about addressing a PhD. as Mr. or in this case Ms. outside of academia.

- Jim Heaphy

[walleymr]

Be the change!

[Atlantajan]

Because the media uses AP style, and, according to AP style, you are not to address people as "Dr." unless they are medical-type doctors. I think it is a good rule. And I think people who insist on being addressed as "Dr." because they have a PhD are just pretentious.

I've got no problem with their being called "Dr."; just a problem with their insisting on it.

[SurrealPumpkin]

I can hardly wait to hear the poem.

[ChicagoSuz]

Read a little Emerson, as well:

"Do not go where the path may lead
Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.'

Makes me think of the journey we're about to embark on...