Twenty days into the new year, Joe Biden’s inauguration as the 46th President of the United States marked a pivotal moment in politics: former President Donald Trump’s unconventional four year term finally came to an end, all to be replaced by Biden’s more traditional approach to power.
Despite the fact that 34 million Americans tuned in to watch the induction of their new leader into the White House, the true star of the event was none other than Amanda Gorman., The 22 year old African-American activist and Harvard University graduate delivered a breathtaking six minute speech on the steps of the Capitol, reciting her poem entitled ‘The Hill We Climb’.
But, one question remains: does poetry belong on such a global political stage?
“Poetry is actually at the centre of our most political questions about what it means to be a democracy”, said Gorman at a TED-ed Student Talk, “The decision to create, the artistic choice to have a voice, the choice to be heard is the most political act of all”. After all, poems are meant to be read aloud in front of an audience. Thus, it comes as no surprise that poems are frequently used for political purposes in order to convey an important message. Gorman herself pointed out that poetry can be found absolutely anywhere: from protest slogans (“not all lives matter until black lives matter”), to the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. (“I have a dream”), to the expression at the foot of the Statue of Liberty (“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free”).
Although the youngest inaugural poet in the world, Amanda Gorman isn’t the first. Maya Angelou, for example, read her poem ‘On The Pulse of Morning’ in 1993 at the inauguration of Bill Clinton, as did Richard Blanco at the inauguration of Barack Obama in 2008, fiercely reading out his poem ‘One Today’. In other words, it is safe to say that poetry and government share a relationship, which is deeply rooted in politics.
By Amanda Gorman
[Viking Books, £10.45]
Amanda Gorman’s work is not only a piece of art, but a response to the current global political climate. In an interview with The New York Times, Amanda Gorman revealed that she had been struggling to complete her poem up until the storming of the US Capitol, a day in which “the poem really came to life”. And as she delivered her speech, she was ironically standing on the same steps of the Capitol that were ambushed by Trump supporters two weeks prior to the inauguration, highlighting further the legacy of her writing. Amanda Gorman’s poem perfectly exemplifies playwright Edward Bulwer-Mytton’s famous quote “the pen is mightier than the sword” (1839)— ’The Hill We Climb’ is the poet’s armour, indicating that communication, particularly written language, and in this case, her poem, is a more effective tool than direct violence.
Regarding today’s political climate, it is crucial that the younger generation be given the platform to be the voices of their communities. Amanda Gorman, a fresh-faced and vividly imaginative 22-year-old with an impressive CV under her belt, was offered this opportunity. Using the art of poetry, she managed to prove that she isn’t only a poet, she is a spokesperson for her people, and all those that look and live the way she does.
’The Hill We Climb’ is a provocative, empowering masterpiece, to say the least. With its timeless meaning and urgent call for unity amongst all Americans, this poem will certainly remain relevant beyond Joe Biden’s inauguration. It proves that in most cases, poetry is necessary when it comes to politics.
