My Writing Practice topic today was this: Someone is reading a poem.
I have had many wonderful experiences of listening to poetry being read aloud. There is nothing like hearing those words come alive from the lips of a serious poetry lover. They will never be the same words your eyes viewed as black squiggles on a white page. The poem has life, emotion, sensuality and eternity when read and listened to through new eyes and ears.
Immediately, my mind turned back to the day of Barack Obama's 2nd Inauguration and the wonderful poem penned and read by Richard Blanco. Yet, my mind kept saying...Maya and would just not let go. There is a connection there between not only the two presidents... Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, but a connection to the two poets as well... Maya Angelou and Richard Blanco. Each stepped out on a limb with their poems, Maya Angelou's 'On the Pulse of Morning' and Richard Blanco's 'One Today'. Each said things publicly that had not been said, and each was loved because of those two poems.
Through the magic and wonder of television, I was able to see both of these poems read by their author's at the two different swearing-in ceremonies --- Clinton's January 20, 1993 and Obama's January 21, 2012. These two men have joined forces on more than one occassion to bring to best and the brightest to our country and "do the right thing". Being able to watch the ceremony and hear each poem left me awestruck and speechless on each occassion.
Below you will find videos of the two Inaugural Poems being read by their poets. There is nothing like hearing poetry read well and no one reads poetry better than the poet who wrote the poem.
I have had many wonderful experiences of listening to poetry being read aloud. There is nothing like hearing those words come alive from the lips of a serious poetry lover. They will never be the same words your eyes viewed as black squiggles on a white page. The poem has life, emotion, sensuality and eternity when read and listened to through new eyes and ears.
Immediately, my mind turned back to the day of Barack Obama's 2nd Inauguration and the wonderful poem penned and read by Richard Blanco. Yet, my mind kept saying...Maya and would just not let go. There is a connection there between not only the two presidents... Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, but a connection to the two poets as well... Maya Angelou and Richard Blanco. Each stepped out on a limb with their poems, Maya Angelou's 'On the Pulse of Morning' and Richard Blanco's 'One Today'. Each said things publicly that had not been said, and each was loved because of those two poems.
Through the magic and wonder of television, I was able to see both of these poems read by their author's at the two different swearing-in ceremonies --- Clinton's January 20, 1993 and Obama's January 21, 2012. These two men have joined forces on more than one occassion to bring to best and the brightest to our country and "do the right thing". Being able to watch the ceremony and hear each poem left me awestruck and speechless on each occassion.
Below you will find videos of the two Inaugural Poems being read by their poets. There is nothing like hearing poetry read well and no one reads poetry better than the poet who wrote the poem.
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Always, I wish you peace, joy and happiness, but most of all I wish you LOVE.
As Ever, Annie
As Ever, Annie
