I heard it through the perspective of a Unitarian Pagan (”Love is the doctrine of this Church and Service is its prayer”)childhood. By the time Ms. Alexander got to, “Praise song for every hand-lettered sign” I was sobbing. The poem touched on many things that are deeply important to me (forgive me now, I'm NOT a writer): Acknowledgment of the joy, pain and dignity of everyday lives, interactions, work and words, of ordinary things, of the overwhelming value of first-hand experience, of the importance and equality of everyone's contributions, of the value of dissent and struggle to continue to move us forward when government and society stumble, stand pat or look away, of our competence, intelligence, bravery and capacity for hope, of our deep and abiding debt to those who have gone before us, died for us, of the variety of valid paths to our shared destination, that both love (unseen/spiritual) and light (visible/physical) are true and indispensable and of the power of faith.

I thought the slow, deliberate delivery gave the work the dignity it deserved. For me it was perfect. And Rev. Lowery was pure joy.

Maybe it's growing up Unitarian Pagan (”Love is the doctrine of this Church and Service is its prayer”). By the time Ms. Alexander got to, “Praise song for every hand-lettered sign” I was sobbing. The poem touched on many things that are deeply important to me (forgive me now, I'm NOT a writer): Acknowledgment of the joy, pain and dignity of everyday lives, interactions, work and words, of ordinary things, of the overwhelming value of first-hand experience, of the importance and equality of everyone's contributions, of the value of dissent and struggle to continue to move us forward when government and society stumble, stand pat or look away, of our competence, intelligence, bravery and capacity for hope, of our deep and abiding debt to those who have gone before us, died for us, of the variety of valid paths to our shared destination, that both love (unseen/spiritual) and light (visible/physical) are true and indispensable and of the power of faith.

I thought the slow, deliberate delivery gave the work the dignity it deserved. For me it was perfect. And Rev. Lowery was pure joy.

It has beautiful imagery. But you could tell that she was either nervous or emotional or both.

That poem stunk at the inauguration period. My guess is that it was because of the delivery.

I am not even going to touch your final statement. I will let that go.

She might not have the chops to read–or act–her own work to some people's satisfaction.

Maya is good for her own short work but I never did like the Inaugural Poem she did for Clinton.

Lowery's last words were reflective of an old rhyme from black American folklore:

If you're white, you're all right.
If you're black, get back.
If you're brown, stick around
But if you're black, GET BACK.

He turned it on its head, and expanded it for red and yellow people.

Those whites who criticize it, don't understand it. Believe it. Lowery meant that whites should simply continue to do the right thing.

Obama's election was the right thing.

You think it should rhyme?

Perhaps you couldn't get the allusions.

Maybe you just don't get poetry at all.

I liked a lot of the imagery: “Someone is stitching up a hem, darning a hole in a uniform, patching a tire, repairing the things in need of repair.” The breadth of images that fit into that one line is still rolling through my mind.

Perfect that as a poet she included a line about how “we encounter each other in words” — Words matter and it moves me to have that acknowledged.

Her delivery was not so great. Unfortunate since it was a poem meant for speaking. And, as the delivery was jumpy, the poem itself is also. Some of the wonderful metaphors and images seem to be left hanging when they should be woven together more seamlessly.

But as has been pointed out, it is no small feat to compose a poem to commemorate such an occasion and to read it in front of 2 million people plus those who watched and listened by TV and radio.

Good job, Ms. Alexander.

Otherwise – - – - Loved the POEM!! :>)

I love Reverend Lowrey. He's Authentic.