Obama chooses his poet

[babylonsister]

http://features.csmonitor.com/books/2008/12/20/obama-chooses-his-poet/

Obama chooses his poet
By Marjorie Kehe | 12.20.08


There was no poet at the inaugurations of George W. Bush but Barack Obama is returning to the tradition started by John F. Kennedy who famously asked Robert Frost to share the stage with him in January of 1961. Obama’s choice for inaugural poet: Elizabeth Alexander.

Alexander may not be a household name but in the world of poetry her credentials shine bright. Today many in the literary world are reacting positively to Obama’s choice.

Alexander, who was born in Harlem in 1965, teaches at Yale. She has published four volumes of poetry, including “American Sublime” which was shortlisted for the Pulitzer Prize in poetry in 2005. She is also the author of two collections of essays. Last year, she won the $50,000 Jackson Poetry Prize.

She and Obama both taught at the University of Chicago in the 1990s.

“Elizabeth Alexander is a superb choice for the Obama inauguration,” Tree Swenson, executive director of the Academy of American Poets told the Associated Press. “She is from Washington, she represents Obama’s generation, and she has written about the civil rights conflict and other historical events that have shaped the character of this country. At the same time, her intense personal vision reveals the commonplace life illuminated from startling new angles — as good poetry always does.”


more...

http://features.csmonitor.com/books/2008/12/20/obama-chooses-his-poet/

[DebJ]

1. No poet for the man who can't speak English. Poetic justice. n/t

[Sarah Ibarruri]

2. This changes nothing nt

[FrenchieCat]

4. The Poet will be talk....

and the poem will be heard.

You may not hear it, but millions of others will.

I can't wait to hear what she will say.
I'm sure it will be profound.

And it will last longer than two minutes.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

8. Even if he has the Corteo Cirque de Soleil perform. It won't matter nt

[CreekDog]

10. What if judges Obama appoints make gay marriage legal and constitutional everywhere?

will that matter, or no?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

13. Well, let's look at that issue! IF Warren is Obama's great pal (which he apparently is)...

...and we already know Warren tirelessly worked to deny civil rights to gays, that he believes that women have no right to their bodies, and he ASKED his followers to vote Republican (all this is fact), what is the LIKELIHOOD Obama believes in the complete OPPOSITE of what this man stands for?

Obama has caught me off guard on many things, and I will not go down that road again in 2012. I spent too much time, effort and money on someone I thought was different.

If a few months ago you had said to me, "I predict Obama will have a bigot speak in his inauguration." I would've called you a fool and a liar.

But the worst thing of all is that Obama WILL NOT remove this Warren.

I am shocked. We've gone over and over and over this. I've heard all the justifications given by many. No justification has changed the facts that what Obama is doing is plain WRONG. But if those are the things he believes, then we're stuck with him for 4 years. Thank God it's only 4.

[stillcool]

19. Itr's that homework thing again...

[Sarah Ibarruri]

You're right. I didn't do my homework. I would've known Obama didn't stand for change

He stood for more of the same. I've learned my lesson big time.

[stillcool]

25. No..you would have known..

the 'change' he was speaking about...over the last 2 years.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

28. Yep, I would've known the change he was talking about was that it was a Democrat who would

bring no change at all from Bush. Same old shit as Bush. Same homophobic preachers, Repukes in the cabinet, etc. etc.

[CreekDog]

33. Okay. I get all that. But what about my question?

If Obama appoints judges that are the margin that legalizes gay marriage based on the 14th amendment, then what? It doesn't undo the Rick Warren thing (well, in a way, it really would undo it). I mean then, would you oppose Obama? And if you would still, does that say something about the type of standard you are setting? Just sounds like you are letting the perfect become the enemy of the good and that's where I think this is taken too far.

And I loathe Rick Warren. I cannot stand the man. But I fail to see how making this a make or break issue for supporting Obama helps liberal causes including civil rights.

That said, I do support still working on Obama to see if Warren can be removed.

[yourguide]

40. Jesus...

Please take your Warren rant to one of the 1,870 warren posts already on the board.

Every thread on this board does NOT have to be a damn Warren thread.

[NYC_SKP]

46. You could get a show on Fox News, "Obama pals around with bigots"

Oh, the drama!

[MH1]

47. "Thank God it's only 4"?

:rofl:

I think I'll wait and see what he actually does in office before I consider not supporting him in 2012.

Of course if you're rooting for Palin or any other republican to win in 2012, then you can just fuck off.

[babylonsister]

5. This is a discussion board, and a board to share info. Tough

if you can't deal with that.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

6. I'm just changing it will not change the most significant discussion about Obama right now nt

[MADem]

7. Ah, but it serves as a distraction!

If the topic is poets, it's not Rick Warren.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

9. That's true! It distracts us from Obama's total disregard for Americans

by refusing to remove Warren from his inauguration.

[babylonsister]

11. First it was the rethugs Obama hired, now it's this. Gotcha.

You just don't like him, do you. That's okay, too, but please be honest about it. In fact, I hope you start a post and explain your viewpoint. That would be enlightening. :thumbsup:

[Sarah Ibarruri]

14. I loved him. I spent lots of money, took off 10 days to canvass door-to-door

Do I love him now that he has done this and is refusing to replace this pig?

NO.

[stillcool]

20. You "love" someone you don't know?

and never bothered to find out anything about?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

22. Do you want me to use the word, "like" better? Would it somehow make you feel more fulfilled? nt

[stillcool]

27. What do you base your love or...

like on, when you have no knowledge of what you're judging?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

29. Go back over my previous posts to you, then return when you have read them. Tx nt

[stillcool]

34. No. You have proven...

that your opinions have no knowledge behind them. It seems that you feel so superior that it is below you to educate yourself.

[babylonsister]

35. Bingo. nt

[DevonRex]

26. Then go post in some Warren thread. Some of us wish to discuss

other topics. But we can't because you always show up and bring the discussion around to Warren. Again and again and again and again. So not even hide thread works.

[Kdillard]

3. Cool I am very much looking forward to this inauguration.

[Neecy]

12. is she gay?

Oh, wait, she's not. The last opportunity to give us a place on the platform, and not just the parade, is gone.

[babylonsister]

15. So you're broadening your outrage because he didn't pick a gay poet?

:crazy:

[Neecy]

18. Why wouldn't he?

Wouldn't that have been a healing thing to do? This is a wound he has no interest in healing. He might get some votes from the fundies, you know?

[babylonsister]

21. I honestly don't think he knew how much he hurt people.

It would have been the healing thing to do. This poet was asked to speak because of her background and history, I'm sure. I wish there was some way to make everyone happy, and am sorry Warren entered into this.


http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-1555974325-0

Elizabeth Alexander voices the outcries, dreams, and histories of an African American tradition that goes back to the slave rebellion on the Amistad and to the artists' canvases of nineteenth-century America. In persona poems, historical narratives, jazz riffs, sonnets, elegies, and a sequence of ars poetica, American Sublime is Alexander's most vivid and varied collection and affirms her place as one of America's most lively and gifted writers.

[Neecy]

24. I'm sure she's outstanding

Ordinarily I'd applaud the choice. The Warren thing enters into it because he had the chance to at least take out part of the sting, and he chose not to do so.

And yes, he knows. Go over to change.gov and read the hurt, the outrage, the betrayal, the people literally begging him not to do this. And I'm sure the inbox of his GLBT transition coordinator is filled with the same thing. It's been all over the press. He knows.

[Political Heretic]

45. Picking a poet based on sexuality and not poetry would be pretty insulting

How about he picks a poet that he likes, and not contemplate sex, race or gender in the equation?

[Neecy]

48. gay people don't write poetry?

Normally I would agree with you, but as I said above I think it would have been a gracious, healing gesture that wasn't offered.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

16. You've got to be kidding. I think Obama is making it clear what he believes by refusing to remove

this Warren a-h. Obama is finally coming out about what he believes.

[yourguide]

41. Go post

in one of the 1,870 warren threads already available to you on DU.

[saltpoint]

17. What matters to me here is who began this tradition and who is now

reviving it.

I do not see this in the context of the Warren debate at all. It predates Warren's ascent on the national radar in the first place, and is wholly separate.

Frost. Angelou. Those are important names and it is a deep disgrace that most U.S. high school students are h anded diplomas without reading, or without seriously considering, one syllable of either poet's life work.

Young folks in "Old Europe" tend to know American authors and poets and playwrights. Our own kids have no clue.

Good for Barack Obama to insist that this matters, and on top of that, it sounds as if he chose his poet very well.

[babylonsister]

23. The fact that he has a poet is wonderful. I don't recall if the dim one bothered,

though I think I recall reading he didn't.

As for American kids and classics, we are sorely behind; I do have faith Obama will try to change that.

[saltpoint]

32. Agree on all counts. The arts generally are valued in other cultures.

Dubya went a long way toward de-valuing them in ours, and I support Obama's return to the baseline respect the arts deserve.

And Elizabeth Alexander rocks.

- - -

edited to spell the woman's name properly. Thank you, babylonsister for that heads-up.

[PatSeg]

38. Hold on there..........

.......you guys went off-topic! Oh no, er, sorry, poets WERE the topic!!!

Carry on!

[saltpoint]

30. Hi, babylonsister. Great post.

Poetry ought to excite the blood. It does for me, anyway.

Here's a link to the Washington POST's piece on Elizabeth Alexander.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/17/AR2008121702027.html?hpid=topnews

[DevonRex]

31. Thank you for the link. It'll be fun learning more about her. nt

[babylonsister]

36. And she's "completely thrilled" and "deeply, deeply honored"...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/19/elizabeth-alexaner-obama_n_152384.html

Elizabeth Alexander, Obama Inauguration Poet, "Completely Thrilled"

JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN | December 19, 2008 12:31 PM EST | AP



NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Elizabeth Alexander was a toddler in a baby stroller when her parents took her to hear Martin Luther King's historic "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington.

Now, it's Alexander's turn to move the nation.

Alexander, professor of African-American studies at Yale University, was chosen by President-elect Barack Obama to compose and read a poem for his inauguration on Jan. 20.

"I'm completely thrilled and deeply, deeply honored," Alexander said Thursday.

Alexander's mother is a historian specializing in African-American women's history at George Washington University. Her father was a presidential civil rights adviser and secretary of the Army.

"The civil rights movement was fully alive in our home," Alexander said.

Attending King's 1963 speech was an iconic moment for the family.

"That story was always a part of family stories that were told as a way of thinking about the importance of being civic, the importance of looking forward, the importance of having visionary leaders, the importance of involving yourself with the community, the importance of recognizing the historical moment and historical possibilities," Alexander said.

more...

[DevonRex]

37. Wow. Her statement was beautiful, too. She certainly has a way with

words and some real life experience to make them important.

[Cha]

39. Thanks for that, babylonsister~

This is interesting and quite diverse.. "Alexander's mother is a historian specializing in African-American women's history at George Washington University. Her father was a presidential civil rights adviser and secretary of the Army."

[Number23]

42. No you didn't link to Christian Science Monitor with all this going on around here!

:rofl: :rofl:

"She represents black American culture, but she says to the audience: ‘We’re here, and we’re very smart and well-educated, fully aware of western European culture in all its complexity; yet we retain an allegiance to our own past, our roots, our needs, our vision."

Sounds like my kind of gal. :) Thanks for posting.

[babylonsister]

43. Hey! I think it's one of the better news sites online. They report stories and

don't editorialize like so many do. Now I have to be wary of the csm? Nah.

[JitterbugPerfume]

44. still remember Robert Frost

at the Kennedy Inaguration and Maya Angelou at Clintons , but for the life of me I can not remember who PRAYED

but that is just me

I look forward to this tradition being renewed. Poetry is best when it is recited


on edit-- a quick google search to check out her poetry proves her to be more than worthy of the honor

[Bluenorthwest]

49. Ms Alexander is a wonderful poet

And I love her work. She's got one that starts 'I'm the laziest girl in the world' or something like that. Some of her poems are fat and look like prose. Some are stanza classic. She's the real deal and a lovely choice. Again, I love her work.
Of course I don't think I'll have the stomach to watch this thing. But Alexander will be a highlight for those of you who are included in the celebration. I'm sure you will all enjoy her reading. She is by far the best thing of the day.

[saltpoint]

50. Kick.

A kick on a cold night
for a woman of words
and for the Journalist's shoe, easily removed to toss
at stumble-bum monkey-brained
presidents.