It Has Begun

In today’s sharp sparkle, this winter air,
any thing can be made, any sentence begun.
On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp...

- "Praise Song for the Day" by Elizabeth Alexander

I was grateful that poetry was given a place in yesterday's schedule. As the poet read the words that I'm sure auditioned before her many times, I watched the people gathered on the mall talk and laugh and rub gloved hands to stay warm. The words were not so much spoken to them as over them, like a prayer.

any sentence begun...

Some heard the word "sentence" drop from her lips and they thought of what judges hand down to guilty brows. Some believe our days ahead will be a prison sentence, that we have chosen poorly and will suffer.

Others listened to the word "sentence" and saw visions of verbs and nouns holding hands, dancing, achieving the poet's desire: hope.

Maybe yesterday's hope was wrapped in inaugural wool and circumstance. But hope is hope, my friends. And I will raise my candle to anyone or anything that can instill it, arouse it, remind us of it. Hope has only one author, one older and sweeter than yesterday's poet.

any sentence begun...

Today is today, it has begun. We are on the cusp. We, the people.

4 comments:

  1. ...meaningful post

    ...thanx!!!

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  2. Yeah, despite, or maybe because of Aretha's hat...I still have great hope. :) The One who is bigger than America gives it to me each day.

    Enjoyed Elizabeth Alexander, too.

    Ever told you that I kinda like your writing?

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  3. Gretchen made me laugh about Aretha's hat!!

    I so agree...I am ready for new things...new sentences, new mixtures of nouns and verbs and such...

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  4. Hello! I like that line on how today is today and that it has begun. That's a nice blog you've got there. I think I just might become a regular reader. By the way, I'm Puva and I got here from Meredith's blog. Nice to meet you! Oh and um..if it helps, I'm the one who told Meredith that you look like Aragorn. Yup. (:

    ReplyDelete