Friday, January 22, 2021

We Will Raise this Wounded World into a Wondrous One

There were so many amazing moments within, among, and beyond the inauguration of President  Joe Biden on Wednesday, aside from the most obvious one: that Joe Biden was inaugurated, period. For those who love politics, there were the remarks by the President and others; for those who watched for the music and the spectacle, pick your favorite artist and they were there and performed and people cheered and it was all pretty amazing. But...

I love words, which if, after over twelve years on of reading this every day you hadn't yet noticed, I hate to be the one to rain on that parade; and for me, the revelation, the thunderbolt, the pitch-perfect messenger with the message I didn't know I needed to hear until she spoke was Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet ever. 

From the same rostrum from which Robert Frost warmed cold hearts in the Cold War Capital in the winter of 1961, her words Wednesday set the heavens ablaze with, I believe, enthusiasm, exuberance, and an urge for leaving on the journey at the very moment we needed to be about the going.

"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." 

The Hill We Climb. Finally, together.
-bill kenny


     

2 comments:

Adam Kenny said...

Amanda Gorman is an extraordinary talent. 22 years old! I want to be like her when I grow up.

Nina the Nomad said...

Very nice blog you have heree

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