{"id":15282,"date":"2021-01-29T20:31:40","date_gmt":"2021-01-30T01:31:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/artsatmichigan.umich.edu\/ink\/?p=15282"},"modified":"2021-01-29T20:31:40","modified_gmt":"2021-01-30T01:31:40","slug":"art-biz-with-liz-amanda-gormans-the-hill-we-climb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artsatmichigan.umich.edu\/ink\/2021\/01\/29\/art-biz-with-liz-amanda-gormans-the-hill-we-climb\/","title":{"rendered":"Art Biz with Liz: Amanda Gorman\u2019s \u201cThe Hill We Climb\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

At President Joe Biden\u2019s inauguration on January 20th<\/sup>, 2021, 22-year-old Amanda Gorman delivered her poem, \u201cThe Hill We Climb.\u201d The Los Angeles resident made history as the youngest known inaugural poet, sparking admiration and conversation the following weeks.<\/p>\n

The poem isn\u2019t without criticism, however. People have taken to the comment sections in newspapers like The Hill to voice their opinions<\/a>. Check out Reddit\u2019s r\/Poetry subreddit, a place to share and discuss published poetry, and you\u2019ll find similar sentiments. One user said<\/a>, \u201cThe meter is all over the place. The wordplay is inane. It’s full of patriotic platitudes and contains nothing new or surprising. It wouldn’t inspire anyone at any time except Americans, today.\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not qualified to judge what makes good poetry and what doesn\u2019t. I\u2019ve heard various people commend the artist yet criticize the poem for things such as \u201ccliches\u201d and \u201cfrustrating meter.\u201d Additionally, some praise \u201cThe Hill We Climb\u201d for its messages and pacing but question whether it is \u201ctechnically strong.\u201d Regardless, I think that there is great merit in the work as a piece of art. Art and creativity can be important tools in inspiring people, and Ms. Gorman utilizes them to do just that. A Forbes article<\/a> says, \u201cGorman has produced poetry and studied sociology, so in combining complex social science into an art form, she has developed a unique offering in both fields.\u201d I’d have to agree.<\/p>\n

Rewatching her performance, I hear rhythms and repetitions that remind me of\u00a0Hamilton<\/em>. There are two references to the musical within the poem, in addition to commentary on current events. Journalists<\/a>, teachers,<\/a> and Youtubers<\/a> alike have begun analyzing Gorman\u2019s piece, noting references to the bible and other poets\u2019 work, as well. The significance? Gorman is purposeful in her words and presentation. One thing that I believe is incredible about her piece is its accessibility, which is somewhat indifferent to the \u201ctechnicality\u201d of it as poem. There is still value that can be measured in the conciseness of words and density of thought within Gorman\u2019s piece, but its reach to the general masses could be considered invaluable. The outbursts in feelings it evoked in countless people, if only for a moment, have been monumental (just check out the positivity related to #AmandaGorman on Twitter). Gorman\u2019s position as an inaugural poet gave her a platform to send a message in a moving way, reaching to those who previously wouldn\u2019t have given poetry a second thought. I think this is one area that she succeeds, not just in her poem, but in her touching yet empowering performance.<\/p>\n

Gorman\u2019s presence exudes strength, but her poem also reflects pain. Poignant words remind young Americans\u2013not unlike Gorman\u2013that our work is not done. We must strive for progress in a society that is fast-paced and continuously evolving. Accommodating changing times also means acknowledging the dark that remains. In doing so, perhaps we might \u201craise this wounded world into a wondrous one,\u201d as Gorman states in \u201cThe Hill We Climb.\u201d Will the poem be remembered and recited for years to come? I don\u2019t know, but I don\u2019t believe that its relevance to the \u201cnow\u201d detracts from the message it has to tell. If anything, the call for light and unity is one that we needed.<\/p>\n

Look below for a video of Gorman reciting \u201cThe Hill We Climb\u201d\u00a0 (courtesy of The New York Times) and a full transcript of the poem.<\/p>\n

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Watch Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, recite her poem \u201cThe Hill We Climb\u201d at President Biden's inauguration. https:\/\/t.co\/5yi8RThWd9<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/JcVuOhOU4h<\/a><\/p>\n

— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 20, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n