We will rebuild, reconcile and recover
and every known nook of our nation and
every corner called our country,
our people diverse and beautiful will emerge,
battered and beautiful
When day comes we step out of the shade,
aflame and unafraid
The new dawn blooms as we free it
For there is always light,
if only we’re brave enough to see it
If only we’re brave enough to be it
by Amanda Gorman
You may well have heard theese words spoken by the young powerhouse of a poet herself – Amanda Gorman: these are the last eleven lines of the poem read at Biden’s inauguration as president. I love it when poetry makes the news like this! Like countless others, I was moved and inspired by her words and I have relished discovering other things she’s written and said, in particular a powerful poem called Earthrise about love for this ‘earth, pale blue dot’ and a short TED talk about using your voice.
I hear a lot of mindful action behind her words, and commitment to creating the social and environmental conditions for the flourishing of (human) beings on this earth. And I’m heartened by her confidence in our ability to embody our deepest potential, right there in the last couple of lines. Let’s be ‘brave enough to be it’!
Picture by Kelia Anne/Sun Literary Arts