April is National Poetry Month, and it’s no secret I love poetry.
Two favorites: one written for and read at the 1993 Presidential Inauguration by poet Maya Angelou; the other at the 2021 Presidential Inauguration by poet Amanda Gorman. Both are stunning in their range and language. They are connected through the decades with their messages of hope and promise; that we are better, greater than our past.
Our struggles are always with us, and our questions. Humanity moves forward sometimes too slowly, and all we see and hear and know can break our hearts. Poetry can heal us, nourish us, and also inspire us to keep moving, to keep doing better.
Language is one of the gifts humanity has given itself. We should use it passionately and thoughtfully.