Richard Blanco may be the president's choice to deliver the inaugural poem on Monday, but folks at the national news radio show The Takeaway are busily composing an inaugural poem in a more democratic way: they're asking everyone to write it.
Oh, yes. Organizers have asked us (!) to harness our most patriotic and poetic instincts (!) and (this part is less exciting) send lines to The Takeaway via Twitter with the hashtag #prezpoem.
In order to keep our poem from becoming a big mess of awesome eagles, purple mountains and vague abstractions, the show has enlisted highly regarded poet Kwame Dawes to curate the project. On Tuesday, Dawes provided an opening line to get things started:
Say "nation." In the wake of quarrels, say "hope."
And oh, did it get us started. Lines from we the people have been pouring in ever since. And you know, at times, we might come off as a little too earnest, and we might go a little crazy with our adjectives, and we might not even take the time to spell "thru" correctly, but this thing is on Twitter, and we could be writing the inaugural poem with one hand while driving for all you know, so don't judge us.
Dawes will be joining The Takeaway to pick out some of his favorite lines, but I'm feeling impatient and have picked out a few of my own. And don't worry, random American, if your line struggled, I won't single you out and make fun of you, because that would be mean and, anyway, this is about us. Here are some of my favorite lines so far:
Ring the bells for history. Morning songs liberty loves
--James Schwartz (who has a good ear)
Say 'hope,' eyes turned not to the gauzy sky
nor to the brassy gates of power
but to the frost-bitten grass beneath our feet.
--Brent Newsome
Say "work" to sate the laborer's appetite for righteous days and gentle nights.
--Janet Hull (what are you, a socialist?) (kidding! I like it.)
Say 'love.' Sweep away exclusion, say 'unity.'
--Pramila Jayapal
As we triumphantly stand upon the piles of our conquered foes, mutilated and destroyed. We exclaim "MORE!"
--Graveyard Shift (wait, what?)
Witness progress in the union of many, say 'forward'
--Mark Fauntleroy (that's better)
We might not be Richard Blanco, but this union of many did all right. Be sure to contribute your own lines to the poem on Twitter, and check The Takeaway to see how the people's inaugural poem ended up.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.