Deep Thoughts: Chapbook released for Praise Song for the Day

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Chapbook released for Praise Song for the Day

I've recently become a big fan of poetry. I enjoyed the poem by Elizabeth Alexander performed for President Obama's Inauguration. I found out today that her poem will be released as a commemorative chapbook by Graywolf Press on Feb 6th. I bought two copies today. One for me, and one for a friend.

I learned of this via a press release.

Elizabeth Alexander crafted the poem for the occasion, drawing inspiration from poets such as Gwendolyn Brooks, Robert Hayden, and Walt Whitman. Alexander is one of our nation's most eloquent poets, and she spoke at the most closely watched inauguration in U.S. history. Alexander is the fourth poet in United States history to read at a presidential inauguration. Previous inaugural poets were Robert Frost at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy, and Maya Angelou and Miller Williams at the inaugurations of William Jefferson Clinton.

The poem starts:

Each day we go about our business,
walking past each other, catching each other's
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.

I don’t know why it is that poetry has suddenly become so important to me. I’m almost 50 after all. Poetry came to me late, but I am glad it came. I just know that poetry often captures the emotion of a moment better that anything else I’ve ever experienced.

I’ll remember hanging on each word of this poem for years to come. I’ll also remember being jealous that my friend Kenny was able to hear these words in person. It was a beautiful moment.