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fick

Alt-Account
Banned
Nov 24, 2018
2,261
I was downstairs getting a drink, and she came on and was captivating. Couldn't care less about the rest of the ceremony.
 

MIMIC

Member
Dec 18, 2017
8,332
She was so good. She's all over my FB feed now. People loved her. The poem and its delivery were fantastic.
 

Rivenblade

Member
Nov 1, 2017
37,127
Just incredible. I cried. Followed her immediately on Twitter and FB. From her FB LOL:
141066732_10164556492270408_4729403279736925666_n.jpg
 

DrROBschiz

Member
Oct 25, 2017
16,494
That might be the best poem I have ever witnessed spoken live

Very powerful stuff

I really hope we can do our best to live up to the aspirations of it. She certainly is an example of the best of us

We just need as many of us as possible to try our best to live up the best versions of ourselves
 

Mentok

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,601
She had fantastic poise on that podium, and a strong command with her pacing. Definitely talented.
 

Kommodore

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,326
I loved her poem and she was a shining star on that stage. Very moving and powerful stuff.

More about her:

www.nytimes.com

Amanda Gorman Captures the Moment, in Verse (Published 2021)

The youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history read “The Hill We Climb,” which she finished after the riot at the Capitol. “I’m not going to in any way gloss over what we’ve seen,” she says.
 

Humidex

Member
Oct 27, 2017
14,221
It was pointed out in the NY Times comments that she's the same age as Riley Williams.

One chose to direct her energies in helping move the country forward, the other resorting to stealing a laptop with the intent of selling it to the Russians.

Quite the contrast.
 

crienne

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,175
Felt very much like slam poetry, especially the hand movements, and I never thought I'd see my favorite form of recital at an inauguration. Loved it.
 

shnurgleton

Member
Oct 27, 2017
15,864
Boston
transcribed
www.lamag.com

Read Amanda Gorman's Inauguration Poem, 'The Hill We Climb'

The 22-year-old L.A. native captured the national moment in her new work

"The Hill We Climb"
Amanda Gorman

When day comes we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade? The loss we carry, a sea we must wade. We've braved the belly of the beast, we've learned that quiet isn't always peace and the norms and notions of what just is, isn't always justice. And yet the dawn is ours before we knew it, somehow we do it, somehow we've weathered and witnessed a nation that isn't broken but simply unfinished.

We, the successors of a country and a time where a skinny black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president only to find herself reciting for one. And, yes, we are far from polished, far from pristine, but that doesn't mean we are striving to form a union that is perfect, we are striving to forge a union with purpose, to compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and conditions of man.

So we lift our gazes not to what stands between us, but what stands before us. We close the divide because we know to put our future first, we must first put our differences aside. We lay down our arms so we can reach out our arms to one another, we seek harm to none and harmony for all.

Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true: that even as we grieved, we grew, even as we hurt, we hoped, that even as we tired, we tried, that we'll forever be tied together victorious, not because we will never again know defeat but because we will never again sow division.

Scripture tells us to envision that everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree and no one should make them afraid. If we're to live up to our own time, then victory won't lie in the blade, but in in all of the bridges we've made.

That is the promise to glade, the hill we climb if only we dare it because being American is more than a pride we inherit, it's the past we step into and how we repair it. We've seen a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it. That would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy, and this effort very nearly succeeded. But while democracy can periodically be delayed, but it can never be permanently defeated.

In this truth, in this faith, we trust, for while we have our eyes on the future, history has its eyes on us, this is the era of just redemption we feared in its inception we did not feel prepared to be the heirs of such a terrifying hour but within it we found the power to author a new chapter, to offer hope and laughter to ourselves, so while once we asked how can we possibly prevail over catastrophe, now we assert how could catastrophe possibly prevail over us.

We will not march back to what was but move to what shall be, a country that is bruised but whole, benevolent but bold, fierce and free, we will not be turned around or interrupted by intimidation because we know our inaction and inertia will be the inheritance of the next generation, our blunders become their burden. But one thing is certain: if we merge mercy with might and might with right, then love becomes our legacy and change our children's birthright.

So let us leave behind a country better than the one we were left, with every breath from my bronze, pounded chest, we will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one, we will rise from the golden hills of the West, we will rise from the windswept Northeast where our forefathers first realized revolution, we will rise from the lake-rimmed cities of the Midwestern states, we will rise from the sunbaked South, we will rebuild, reconcile, and recover in every known nook of our nation in every corner called our country our people diverse and beautiful will emerge battered and beautiful, when the day comes we step out of the shade aflame and unafraid, the new dawn blooms as we free it, for there is always light if only we're brave enough to see it, if only we're brave enough to be it.
 
Oct 25, 2017
3,215
Yep, saw the link on Facebook, and almost didn't click it because...poetry. But she looked real young, so I was kind of curious how cringe it would be. Honestly, I got choked up watching it, and will never be dismissive of poetry again. Just amazing.
 

Tuorom

Member
Oct 30, 2017
10,915
Fantastic and beautiful display of artistry.

I had to take a moment afterwards. Resonant.
 

Deleted member 70788

Jun 2, 2020
9,620
When day comes we ask ourselves,
where can we find light in this never-ending shade?
The loss we carry,
a sea we must wade
We've braved the belly of the beast
We've learned that quiet isn't always peace
And the norms and notions
of what just is
Isn't always just-ice
And yet the dawn is ours
before we knew it
Somehow we do it
Somehow we've weathered and witnessed
a nation that isn't broken
but simply unfinished
We the successors of a country and a time
Where a skinny Black girl
descended from slaves and raised by a single mother
can dream of becoming president
only to find herself reciting for one
And yes we are far from polished
far from pristine
but that doesn't mean we are
striving to form a union that is perfect
We are striving to forge a union with purpose
To compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and
conditions of man
And so we lift our gazes not to what stands between us
but what stands before us
We close the divide because we know, to put our future first,
we must first put our differences aside
We lay down our arms
so we can reach out our arms
to one another
We seek harm to none and harmony for all
Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true:
That even as we grieved, we grew
That even as we hurt, we hoped
That even as we tired, we tried
That we'll forever be tied together, victorious
Not because we will never again know defeat
but because we will never again sow division
Scripture tells us to envision
that everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree
And no one shall make them afraid
If we're to live up to our own time
Then victory won't lie in the blade
But in all the bridges we've made
That is the promise to glade
The hill we climb
If only we dare
It's because being American is more than a pride we inherit,
it's the past we step into
and how we repair it
We've seen a force that would shatter our nation
rather than share it
Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy
And this effort very nearly succeeded
But while democracy can be periodically delayed
it can never be permanently defeated
In this truth
in this faith we trust
For while we have our eyes on the future
history has its eyes on us
This is the era of just redemption
We feared at its inception
We did not feel prepared to be the heirs
of such a terrifying hour
but within it we found the power
to author a new chapter
To offer hope and laughter to ourselves
So while once we asked,
how could we possibly prevail over catastrophe?
Now we assert
How could catastrophe possibly prevail over us?
We will not march back to what was
but move to what shall be
A country that is bruised but whole,
benevolent but bold,
fierce and free
We will not be turned around
or interrupted by intimidation
because we know our inaction and inertia
will be the inheritance of the next generation
Our blunders become their burdens
But one thing is certain:
If we merge mercy with might,
and might with right,
then love becomes our legacy
and change our children's birthright
So let us leave behind a country
better than the one we were left with
Every breath from my bronze-pounded chest,
we will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one
We will rise from the gold-limbed hills of the west,
we will rise from the windswept northeast
where our forefathers first realized revolution
We will rise from the lake-rimmed cities of the midwestern states,
we will rise from the sunbaked south
We will rebuild, reconcile and recover
and every known nook of our nation and
every corner called our country,
our people diverse and beautiful will emerge,
battered and beautiful
When day comes we step out of the shade,
aflame and unafraid
The new dawn blooms as we free it
For there is always light,
if only we're brave enough to see it
If only we're brave enough to be it
 

Satori

Member
Nov 13, 2017
574
Damn thank you for the link of the transcript. Reading it gave me chills all over again. My son is reading it aloud and I can not tell you how emotional I got...
 

wookiee

Member
Jul 14, 2020
3,163
She was utterly incredible. I was completely in awe. Highlight of the inauguration for me.