
Happy Poetry Friday!
I’m moving forward slowly with hope, for our country, America, and our world. I was smitten with our Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem, THE HILL WE CLIMB. My post today includes a golden shovel poem taken from a line of Amanda’s poem, and the rest focuses on this fabulous wordsmith poet.
BEGIN TO MEND AMERICA…
America though your voice grew grim, and
democracy defamed, your flame burned within. So
different minds joined together and put we
first––For we American’s together must work to lift
away from false truths, to regain our
trampled on Democracy, to refocus our gazes
on compassion, love and care for each other, not
on a single focus but on an inclusive we, to
embrace again, justice for every race, religion, and gender. What
follows, to mend with dove’s-wings our injured America, as she stands
bruised, but ready to reach all and bring about change between
different minds of America with inclusiveness for all of us
© 2021 Michelle Kogan
My golden shovel poem borrows a line from our Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda Gorman’s Inaugural poem, THE HILL WE CLIMB:
And so we lift our gazes not to what stands between us
You can read Amanda Gorman’s poem here. And here’s an article from The New York Times, about Amanda Gorman writing her inaugural poem:
Amanda Gorman Captures the Moment, in Verse
Amanda Gorman reading her poem FURY AND FAITH, and a TEDEd talk.
Laura Shovan at her blog Laura Shovan is hosting this weeks Poetry Friday Roundup, thanks Laura! She’s sharing more on our renowned Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman and in addition announcing her 9th annual February Poetry Project. Be sure to drop by her blog.
As a sidenote I have a couple of new Valentine’s Day Cards available in my Etsy Shop, waiting to spread some sweetness wherever they may be sent…

Visit Renée LaTulippe at No Water River to find out more about what Poetry Friday is.