Professor Elizabeth Alexander had the challenging task of writing a poem for the inauguration of President Barack Obama. She read the poem, “Praise Song for the day,” aloud to millions of people on 1/20/2009. Alexander, an African-American poet, filled the boots of literary giants like Robert Frost, Miller Williams, and Maya Angelou, who are all original poems read in the past presidenti? Le inauguration. Alexander chose her poem in the form of a “praise song to write.” A praise song is a traditional form of African po? See that usually celebrates an individual, a god, a village, or an aspect of nature. The choice of this form seems particularly appropriate in light of African heritage President Obama. When we look at this poem, a good place to start is by asking who or what is the poem by Alexander praised? * “The days” – As you might guess, Alexander praised the “days” – 1/20/2009, President Barack Obama’s inauguration day. But these days is more than just a presidenti? Le inauguration. Alexander celebrates the day that a black man can become President of the United States. * “The killing us here, / who laid the railroad tracks, bridges increased / cotton and lettuce, built and brick by brick, the splendid buildings / she would be clean and the inside of the work picked” – Alexander praises those who carried us to this momentous day. Each of the above jobs can match a group of Americans. Here are a few possibilities: “Who provides the train tracks” can refer to the many Chinese immigrants who worked on the Central Pacific Railroad to build. “Who picked the cotton [...]” probably refers to the black slaves, while those who “picked the lettuce [...]” can refer to Mexican migrant workers, especially in California?. This poem does and praise the many people who built and developed our nation. * “The fight – The battle seems to be linked with the people who Alexander the above – immigrants, slaves and other hardworking Americans – who fought for equality, racial justice and a better future. * “Every hand-letter sign” – She goes to the many people today who have participated in the Obama campaign to celebrate, making hand-letter sign [s]. “In this way Alexander recognize the many average Americans who have volunteered in large and small ways, to bring about this great day. Like the poet praises the progress that America and Americans have made to the structure of her poem reflects this movement and progress through the metaphor of walking. The poem opens saying: “Every day we go about our business / walking past each other, catching each other’s / eyes or not.” This line reminds us of how busy we are with our tasks, text messages, or our own worlds. “Walking past” also indicates that people move in several different directions as they go about the business of their daily lives. The poem then turns to the ordinary tasks of Americans of all backgrounds – tasks such as repairing clothes, fixing flat tires, making music, waiting for the bus, taking a test, or checking the clouds in the sky . It was agreed that the work of the po? See is about the average Americans – teachers, farmers, mothers, handymen. Alexander seems to present different voices of people who walk traditional and non-traditional paths – some in search of safety, some new frontiers, and what better life. Each of them walking toward an unknown future. Shmoop interpretation is just one of many possible, but perhaps the poet suggests that each person is driven forward by a sense of stewardship for the mind, body, or the earth, but ultimately they are driven by love. Further, they say that if we as a thread as global citizens, we will “cast a wider pool of light.” At the end of the poem, Alexander uses a similar image of walking, but instead of “along intertwined, “she describes” walk forward in that light. “We go from walking” past “running” forward “from the past into the future. The idea of running” ahead “gives people walk in the same direction, in sync and united. This tour has brought together the country “The Brink, [...] the edge, [...] the eve” of something entirely new, a time American History where” everything can be made, any sentence started. “Alexander concludes her praise song by celebrating the new direction of America. About the poet: Elizabeth Alexander is a professor of African American Studies at Yale University. Barack Obama’s selection of her was called” perfect “by the president of the Foundation Po? see, John Barr. In the words of Barr, “Alexander is one of the pioneering voices in contemporary American po? see. Like Whitman’s, Alexander has always wanted in her poems into a single great nation’s spirit and Endurance by celebrating our differences and recognize triumphs “(source).


Other Immigration sites:

Tags: , ,

Learn About Immigration to CANADA! Click Here!

Related posts:

  1. what is the song sent to obama about immigration? what is the song that was sent to O`bama from a reggae artist from Jamacia talking about immigration? it says...
  2. Will Obama & Pelosi double immigration to show American Dems that they are NOT Obama’s top priority? Bill Clinton tripled immigration. I’m not saying Bush or McCain was on the side of unskilled Americans. But, isn’t it...

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Filed under: Obama

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!