For your journal entry this week, read Elizabeth Alexander’s inaugural poem, “Praise Song for the Day.”  Also, you may watch her read it at Obama’s inauguration.

After you read/watch the poem, watch Alexander’s interview with Stephen Colbert, also linked below the journal assignment.

Now think about what Alexander wanted to do with her poem – what do you think her purpose was?  Do you think she was successful?  What would you do differently?

You may consider comparing Alexander’s attempt with Maya Angelou’s poem at Clinton’s inauguration (also linked below).  Was Angelou’s poem as effective as Alexander’s?  Or less so?  What is the difference?  How did the two women use their words to persuade or motivate the audience towards their poems’ purposes?  Keep in mind, these are very different poems – think about who they are addressing (who is the persona speaking to?) and why.  On what level does each poet attempt to appeal?

You may certainly compare the two poems, though you are not required to do so.  I do except you, at least, to respond to Alexander’s poem, note what you liked about it, explain how well you think she used the gifts of poetic technique (metaphor? hyperbole? symbolism? etc) to achieve her goal, however you determine what that was.  Also, identify who the persona is, who the audience she is speaking to is, what is the dramatic situation in the poem, etc.

typewritten in MLA format-

https://poets.org/poem/praise-song-day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH6fC3W3YvA
https://www.cc.com/video/8l6srp/the-colbert-report-elizabeth-alexander