falcongrrl: (Default)
[personal profile] falcongrrl
imo, the poet stole the show.

that's when I started crying.

love. oh god, if it could only be that simple.

(though the old black preacher giving the benediction is making me bawl too)

poet - Elizabeth Alexander

I need to find out who the preacher is. He's amazing. He's real.

edit: Reverend Joseph Lowery

(no subject)

Date: 2009-01-20 05:38 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] toob.livejournal.com
Reverend Joseph Lowry.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-01-20 05:42 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] toob.livejournal.com
Sorry -- Lowery: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Lowery)

(no subject)

Date: 2009-01-20 05:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] toob.livejournal.com
He sure was. Put Rick Warren to shame.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-01-20 05:48 pm (UTC)

(no subject)

Date: 2009-01-20 05:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] birdbard.livejournal.com
OK, the end of the Reverend's benediction just trumped her! Amen!!

All around great speeches and poems and everything. I teared up a few times I'm just so proud and happy and..relieved!

(no subject)

Date: 2009-01-20 05:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ladyperegrine.livejournal.com
Yeah, me too. The biggest emotion is a profound relief. Now the healing (and of course, the work) can begin.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-01-20 06:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jakebe.livejournal.com
Do you know where there's text of the poem Alexander read?

The Writer's Almanac read this poem (http://poem-of-the-week.blogspot.com/2008/12/ars-poetica-100-i-believe-by-elizabeth.html) in celebration of her inaugural poem today, and I thought it was just fantastic.

I'm really bummed I can't see any of this at work; I'll have to wait until this evening to catch most of this. Even still, it's just a tremendous joy to know that this long national nightmare is over. :D

-J

-J

(no subject)

Date: 2009-01-20 07:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] toob.livejournal.com
Couldn't watch it at work here either. Everyone trying to watch it crapped out the campus network!! I listened on NPR though.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-01-20 08:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] iampranada.livejournal.com
Praise song for the day.

Each day we go about our business, walking past each other, catching
each others' eyes or not, about to speak or speaking. All about us is
noise. All about us is noise and bramble, thorn and din, each one of
our ancestors on our tongues. Someone is stitching up a hem, darning a
hole in a uniform, patching a tire, repairing the things in need of
repair.

Someone is trying to make music somewhere with a pair of wooden spoons
on an oil drum with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice.

A woman and her son wait for the bus.

A farmer considers the changing sky; A teacher says, "Take out your
pencils. Begin."

We encounter each other in words, words spiny or smooth, whispered or
declaimed; words to consider, reconsider.

We cross dirt roads and highways that mark the will of someone and
then others who said, "I need to see what's on the other side; I know
there's something better down the road."

We need to find a place where we are safe; We walk into that which we
cannot yet see.

Say it plain, that many have died for this day. Sing the names of the
dead who brought us here, who laid the train tracks, raised the
bridges, picked the cotton and the lettuce, built brick by brick the
glittering edifices they would then keep clean and work inside of.

Praise song for struggle; praise song for the day. Praise song for
every hand-lettered sign; The figuring it out at kitchen tables.

Some live by "Love thy neighbor as thy self."

Others by first do no harm, or take no more than you need.

What if the mightiest word is love, love beyond marital, filial,
national. Love that casts a widening pool of light. Love with no need
to preempt grievance.

In today's sharp sparkle, this winter air, anything can be made, any
sentence begun.

On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp -- praise song for walking
forward in that light.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-01-20 09:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ladyperegrine.livejournal.com
Wow! Where did you find it?

(no subject)

Date: 2009-01-20 11:12 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] iampranada.livejournal.com
Someone posted it to the Ammachi Yahoo group. But it's out on quite a few sites now.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-01-20 07:59 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] whitecrow0.livejournal.com
I keep saying it everywhere, but I was most touched by Perlman & Yo-Yo Ma performing "Simple Gifts".
Obama's speech was pretty forceful and uplifting.

It's an interesting day to be an American.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-01-20 08:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] birdbard.livejournal.com
"Simple Gifts" was amazing, my favorite part too!

(no subject)

Date: 2009-01-20 08:11 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ladyperegrine.livejournal.com
Oh, that was so gorgeous! The music itself, and then the joy on Yo-Yo Ma's face.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-01-26 02:37 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] whitecrow0.livejournal.com
I have wanted a copy of that song for a while. Now I still would like to own it. :)

(no subject)

Date: 2009-01-26 03:53 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ladyperegrine.livejournal.com
Dave and I were talking about that too. I can't imagine they wouldn't be offering that arrangement soon either on a CD or as an mp3.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-01-26 10:50 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] whitecrow0.livejournal.com
That's what I was hoping they'd do. :)

(no subject)

Date: 2009-01-21 02:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wingywoof.livejournal.com
Words. :)

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