Obama's Inauguration poem 'Praise Song For The Day' Full Text

by Amy Judd | January 20, 2009 at 09:34 am

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Elizabeth Alexander read a poem she had composed for Barack Obama and his Inauguration Day today. It's called 'Praise Song For The Day'.

'Praise Song for the Day' - Full Text

Each day we go about our business, walking past each other, catching each others’ 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. Someone is stitching up a hem, darning a hole in a uniform, patching a tire, repairing the things in need of repair.

Someone is trying to make music somewhere with a pair of wooden spoons on an oil drum with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice.

A woman and her son wait for the bus.

ALEXANDER: A farmer consider the changing sky; A teacher says, “Take out your pencils. Begin.”

We encounter each other in words, Words spiny or smooth, whispered or declaimed; Words to consider, reconsider.

We cross dirt roads and highways that mark the will of someone and then others who said, “I need to see what’s on the other side; I know there’s something better down the road.”

We need to find a place where we are safe; We walk into that which we cannot yet see.

Say it plain, that many have died for this day. Sing the names of the dead who brought us here, who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges, picked the cotton and the lettuce, built brick by brick the glittering edifices they would then keep clean and work inside of.

Praise song for struggle; praise song for the day. Praise song for every hand-lettered sign; The figuring it out at kitchen tables.

Some live by “Love thy neighbor as thy self.”

Others by first do no harm, or take no more than you need.

What if the mightiest word is love, love beyond marital, filial, national. Love that casts a widening pool of light. Love with no need to preempt grievance.

In today’s sharp sparkle, this winter air, anything can be made, any sentence begun.

On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp -- praise song for walking forward in that light.

Dr. Alexander seemed to be a good and popular choice for this historic event.

A spokesman for the Obama inauguration described Dr. Alexander as “incredibly gifted” and the fact that she is selected “demonstrates the important role that the arts and literature can play in helping to bring our country together.” This is only the fourth time a poet has been included at an inauguration for a US president.

Ms. Alexander is a personal friend of the Obamas and she has an extensive background in arts and literature.

Elizabeth Alexander was born in New York City and raised in Washington, D.C. She is the author of four collections of poetry, American Sublime, Antebellum Dream Book, The Venus Hottentot, and Body of Life, which was a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry. She is also the author of two collections of essays, The Black Interior and Power and Possibilities: Essays, Interviews, Reviews, and a collection of poems for young adults, Miss Crandall's School for Young Ladies and Little Misses of Colors (co-authored with Marilyn Nelson). She recently edited The Essential Gwendolyn Brooks. She has read her work across the United States and in Europe, the Caribbean, and South America, and her poetry, short stories, and critical prose have been published in numerous periodicals and anthologies.

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Guy Ormiston, citizen of the world (not verified)

at 11:22 on January 20th, 2009

I saw her today, I saw her face
It is a face I love and I know
I have to run praise her song for this day
The life we are walking today in and day out,the same old thing,such a bitch
The meaning;no tears, no tearing down,no running to hide,take it one night by one nightpraise her song everyway

Don S. (not verified)

at 13:20 on January 20th, 2009

Beautiful poem. Perfect poem. Well spoken.

Thank you, Elizabeth Alexander.

takembaiyee,s (not verified)

at 15:17 on January 20th, 2009

Thank you, Elizabeth.

It is a sublime moment and with your well-crafted words you were able

to make us feel it.

Inspiring!

Cherylynn53 (not verified)

at 15:38 on January 20th, 2009

Beautiful! Very Moving! Full of Hope!

obama (not verified)

at 16:45 on January 20th, 2009

Was this computer generated??

michele Hemenway (not verified)

at 18:30 on January 20th, 2009

Stunning. Con muchas gracias.

John Snyder (not verified)

at 20:12 on January 20th, 2009

My former favorite poem written for a specific of occasion began

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,

Their flag to April's breeze unfurled

Here once the embattled farmers stood,

And fired the shot heard 'round the world.

It has been replaced. I cannot yet read Ms. Alexander;\'s poem aloud yet without weeping profusely. Incredible. Perhaps we have arrived.

bayarts

at 21:01 on January 20th, 2009

Indeed, John Snyder, I believe we have arrived.

Thank you, Elizabeth. You were a gift to our nation today.

Stacy Alexander

ADWH (not verified)

at 22:22 on January 20th, 2009

Seriously? Uplifting?

If she weren't a personal friend of the Obama family, there is no way this would have been chosen. If there must be a poem, why can't they at least get someone who can read it well? Or write it well?

I had to find the text to finish hearing it. On my talk radio station, they cut her off in the middle to comment on the crowd. That's bad.

Taroogs (not verified)

at 23:23 on January 20th, 2009

i watched the entire Obama Inauguration program on television and Ms. Alexander's poem was one its best moments for me. wonderful poem. well read.

Ayo Alonge (not verified)

at 00:06 on January 21st, 2009

This is a beautiful poem, loaded with strong massages.

I love the way she read the poem at the President Obama inauguration.

Cool.

sr mary patricia murtagh (not verified)

at 05:53 on January 21st, 2009

Marvelous welcome back to fine culture and poem writting what a joy so well up to date and beautifully read CONGRATULATIONS YOU BRUGHT BACK A REAL LIGHT GOD BLESS YOUR GIFT

lenna (not verified)

at 06:15 on January 21st, 2009

Beautiful poem but very badly read... The whole thing came over as very stilted and unnatural.

Tammy Steele (not verified)

at 07:19 on January 21st, 2009

Elizabeth Alexander suggests a way for us all to engage in moving forward to right the wrongs we've perpetrated, to build a peaceful world: parents with their children, Democrats with Republicans, the United States with the rest of the world:

"We encounter each other in words, Words spiny or smooth, whispered or declaimed; Words to consider, reconsider..."

J Healer (not verified)

at 00:23 on January 22nd, 2009

Oh I get it Tammy

let me qoute "Dogs and Cats living to together, Mass Hysteria" -Peter Vinkman

ROW (not verified)

at 09:09 on January 21st, 2009

Are you kidding me? The poem was poorly written. Thanks, Tammy for translating the overall intent.

Discerning Reader (not verified)

at 11:55 on January 21st, 2009

I thought it was absolute garbage.

Anitalesson (not verified)

at 12:53 on January 21st, 2009

Yes, I personally need a lesson in lowering my expectations or resetting my criteria for a discerning opinion. Apparently, in this "Brave New World" of Obamamania, mediocrity, among many other things, needs only the blessing of Obama to be declared "Excellence".

"Kudos" to the attendees of the Obama inauguration for their love and committment to Mother Earth and their offerings of Trash they left on the Washington Mall.

Ed Meek (not verified)

at 17:07 on January 21st, 2009

This poem doesn't start until the last two lines. The rest is all warming up blah blah. It is not even poetry and it is incoherent, imitation Whitman with none of Whitman's genius. She should have begun with the last two lines and gone from there...

No one will read this poem years from now.

--Ed Meek

Cheryl Parker (not verified)

at 19:01 on January 21st, 2009

This poem stopped me in my tracks as I watched and listend to President Obama's Inaugruation. I searched the web for it. I will frame it and read it often; this poem is thoughful, inrorspective, and simply outstanding. We need more Poets like Elizabeth Alexander in our country so we may reclaim the lost art of poetry.

J Healer (not verified)

at 00:19 on January 22nd, 2009

Now that President Obama has had his day I will start being critical. Although many of you will call me hateful, a racist, ect... I will say that poem was one of the worst poems I've ever heard. There was nothing in that (let's be real) statement that was recongizable as a poem. I bet most of you would have been critical if you were blinded be the media fawning all over the moment. Historical, Yes. But don't call something beautiful just because Barak Obama's name is attached to it. Wake up and get your head out of Obama's carisma.

Random person (not verified)

at 13:36 on January 22nd, 2009

wow u all must be deaf cause this poem was the worst!! it did make me lol though

-NOBAMA

Weeber (not verified)

at 13:47 on January 22nd, 2009

I agree with Ed Meek--the poem didn't really get started until it was almost over. The message was indeed worthwhile, but the poem itself lacked the density, the spot-on word choices that make poetry. It will endure for the emblem that it is, but not for the work itself.

houser (not verified)

at 20:33 on January 24th, 2009

Reading the poem to myself is ok, but I couldn't believe how slowly she read it. In my opinion her voice was flat and monotone and I couldn't believe it was really happening. I couldn't focus on the words anymore and had no idea what it said until I reread it just now.

ASHKUM (not verified)

at 18:14 on January 29th, 2009

Visit : www.ObamaPoem.com for Reading The Precident-President Barack Obama What a class poem on Obama-'The Tiger Woods Of American Politics'. A Must-read for life long inspiration! No comapare with Elizabeth Alexander's -Inaguaral Poem- 'Praise Song Of The Day'

AKASH HONEY (not verified)

at 18:18 on January 29th, 2009

Great lyrical Poem I have ever read on Obama. Go ahead tell your friends... about www.ObamaPoem.com

Sam I Am (not verified)

at 19:32 on February 2nd, 2009

this was THE WORST POEM EVER. i have to do a 3 paragraph critique for this (which is due tomorrow) and i cant even find any metaphors, similies, alliterations, etc. what kinda of poem is this ?! i dislike this elizabeth alexander to an extent so great that even britney spears doesn't compete against my hate for her.

J - Sed (not verified)

at 07:29 on February 9th, 2009

The poem was horrible. It was just a listing of words. It goes from angry to adoring..? And the way she read it! It droned on and on. Gah lee i dont see how people were moved by it. I do agree that it is better if you read it on your on, but not by much. Alexander can not read welll at all!!! Definately disappointed in Obama for choosing it. It flat out stunk.

J Richardson (not verified)

at 10:37 on April 20th, 2009

I thought the poem was beautiful. I loved it. It was fresh and poignant. Very fitting for the occasion. I thought that it summed up a lot of feelings in a creative way. However, the way it was read was horrendous. I could only guess that the poor woman had been asked to read it really, really slowly so that people in the crowd could hear it properly. It just didn't work - the poem lost all meaning and soul when it was read like that. I still think it is a moving and inspirational poem though.