A poet doesn't get something approaching a million pairs of ears for his or her poem very often. Richard Blanco did today at Barack Obama's second inauguration. The poem was titled "One Today."
Most of all, I admired the ambition of the poem. I heard in it the minority voice trying to speak for all of us, seeking to become all of us. It had the sweep and empathy and joy of the multiplicity of America in it. I heard Norman Corwin's voice among others calling out the particularity of our differences and the expanse of our commonality, willing us to the unity which honors in our hearts that full-throated America.
An error was made, or perhaps, I should say instead, that a better choice could have been selected. I personally know a gent who smooth the way for world peace. He spoke of e.e. cummings and the love of our earth. you may know him - don!!!! p.s. he's even on you tube!!!!! xxoo
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