AMANDA THE POET

Amanda Gorman: The Poet. What can I say that has not already been said? I don’t know, but what I can say is, as I watched this young, black woman stand before the world with the face of a 14-year-old, but the wisdom of a 100-year-old, she represented the best of who we are in America! She was articulate, yet graceful, humble, yet forceful and educated, yet touching. Her voice and manner resonated with me and as a result, I stared in complete awe. Until January 20, 2021, I had not heard of Miss Amanda, however now, the world knows she is Amanda, the poet.

THE MESSAGE OF A WRITER

With some of the world’s greatest leaders sitting behind and around her as a backdrop, Miss Amanda stepped up to the microphone and lifted listeners around the globe.  Her message was honest, metrical and poetical, therefore, it flowed like the melodies of Mozart, the rhythm of Charlie Parker, and the soul of Aretha!  I was astounded!  “Who is this kid?”  I thought, “Who comes to us with a message that captivates, but at the same time, transforms the feelings of millions of Americans into words.”  Her delivery was perfect and her gestures matched the flow of her words.  

AMANDA: A POET TO REMEMBER

Reflecting on the “Moment with Amanda,” my thoughts traveled back several decades to a black, eleven-year-old, female who stood before a microphone and spoke an Eighth Grade Graduation Celebration message that represented all of the black kids in Attala County, which to my community, was the heart of Mississippi. The world was very small in comparison, but the message was the same: “I am black, I am proud, I have something to say, the world must listen, and most of all, I’m not going away!” This is the essence of President Biden’s Inaugural Address and that is a summary of Miss Gorman’s poem. It emphasized unity, thereby connecting with the music and speeches that embraced unity.

Why is it so difficult for the mortal mind to comprehend that equality and freedom of all, does not mean control by a few? Every person who participated in the Inaugural proceedings had a role to play, but each person’s contribution made the entire process successful. We needed everyone to make it complete! If one piece had been missing, the presentation would have been incomplete. That is the underlying message of what our culture should be. No race, ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, religion can form this perfect union our Constitution speaks of, without our country’s diverse population. We need everyone . . . no one should be dominant or recessive.

THE FRESHNESS OF AMANDA THE POET

Miss Amanda Gorman: We love you! We salute you and we await your continued presence in the world!