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In this lesson, students learn about the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history and consider her work as part of a tradition of occasional poetry.

Amanda Gorman reciting a poem during the inauguration. Credit... Erin Schaff/The New York Times

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.
Updated: Jan. 21 Featured Articles: Several Times pieces about Note: This is a special edition of our Lesson of the Day. We have invited Carol Jago - longtime English teacher, associate director of the California Reading and Literature Project at U.C.L.A., and past president of the National Council of Teachers of English - to suggest ideas for teaching about occasional poetry and "The Hill We Climb." Ms. Jago is the author of many books, the most recent of which is "The Book in Question: Why and How Reading Is in Crisis." Amanda Gorman with a new link to a transcript of the poem and more information from Times reporting.
In this lesson, students will learn about Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history; how she came to write " The Hill We Climb "; and how it fits into the tradition of occasional poetry. They will also learn about Ms. Gorman's belief that poetry is political, and that reading and writing are instruments of social change. Finally, they will be invited to create their own occasional poems.

I. An Introduction to the Poet
Do you know who Amanda Gorman is? After Jan. 20, many more people will know her name since, at 22, she is now the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history. Committed to connecting literacy to the project of democracy, she considers reading and writing to be instruments of social change.

Encouraged by her mother, an English teacher, Ms. Gorman began writing poems as a child, finding her voice as she assembled words on the page. Where other young poets turn inward, she draws inspiration from events in the news.

In an interview with Adeel Hassan, she talks about what she felt as a child:

"I grew up at this incredibly odd intersection in Los Angeles, where it felt like the Black 'hood met Black elegance met white gentrification met Latin culture met wetlands. Traversing between these worlds, either to go to a private school in Malibu, or then come back home to my family's two-bedroom apartment, gave me an appreciation for different cultures and realities, but also made me feel like an outsider. I'm sure my single mother, Joan Wicks, might describe me as a precocious child, but looking back in elementary school I often self-described myself as a plain 'weird' child. I spent most of elementary school convinced that I was an alien. Literally."

It has been a remarkable journey for Ms. Gorman to have traveled from feeling like an alien to becoming first the Youth Poet of Los Angeles, then, three years later, the first National Youth Poet Laureate and now the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history.

Watch her 2018 TEDEd talk, embedded above, to learn a little more about her. You will see that, in the tradition of a griot speaking truth to power, Ms. Gorman often turns to her literary mantra, "I am the daughter of Black writers, who are descended from Freedom Fighters, who broke the chains who changed the world. They call me."

What does she say in this talk that stands out for you? Why?

Have you ever encountered poetry that, like the examples she gives, has something interesting to say about politics and democracy? What examples come to mind?

How might you answer her key questions: "Whose shoulders do you stand on? What do you stand for?"

II. What Is Occasional Poetry? Understanding the Tradition of "The Hill We Climb"

Video

Richard Blanco, the 2013 inaugural poet, read "One Today" after President Obama renewed his oath of office on Monday.

As its name suggests, occasional poetry documents and reflects upon particular occasions, events both public and private, grand and less grand, from Tennyson's " The Charge of the Light Brigade" to Frank O'Hara's " The Day Lady Died " on the death of Billie Holiday. Often occasional poems are commissioned and intended for a public reading.

Through the ages, kings and queens have summoned poets to celebrate their triumphs. Since John F. Kennedy, most incoming Democratic presidents have invited poets to mark their accession to the highest office in the land. While presidents have typically taken a hands-off approach to the poem's composition, President Kennedy asked Robert Frost specifically to read "The Gift Outright" at his inauguration and suggested a revision to the last line. At the president's request, Frost changed "Such as she was, such as she would become" to "Such as she was, such as she will become."

In 2013, President Barack Obama asked Richard Blanco to be his inaugural poet. Mr. Blanco's occasional poem, "One Today," describes a country under "one sun" and "one light," where people toil on "one ground, our ground." Reminiscent of Carl Sandburg's "Chicago" and Walt Whitman's "I Hear America Singing," the poem celebrates the common work of uncommon individuals.

Fortunately, writing occasional poems is nothing new for Ms. Gorman. She composed " In This Place (An American Lyric)" and performed it at the Library of Congress for Tracy K. Smith's installation as U.S. Poet Laureate. After watching Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testify at the confirmation hearing of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, she wrote "We Rise." She described that experience and read the poem in a PBS interview with Alicia Menendez.

Ms. Gorman was contacted by the Biden inaugural committee in late December. She was given no specific instructions on what to write but was urged to focus on unity and hope. The Times reports:

[Ms. Gorman] joins a small group of poets who have been recruited to help mark a presidential inauguration, among them Robert Frost, Maya Angelou, Miller Williams, Elizabeth Alexander and Richard Blanco.

But none of her predecessors faced the challenge that Gorman did. She set out to write a poem that would inspire hope and foster a sense of collective purpose, at a moment when Americans are reeling from a deadly pandemic, political violence and partisan division.

The article also describes how she had written most of the inaugural poem before the Jan. 6 siege at the U.S. Capitol, but stayed awake late into the night to finish, "adding verses about the apocalyptic scene that unfolded at the Capitol that day."

Before you dive into the poem itself in the next section, put yourself in Ms. Gorman's shoes. If you were asked to write a poem by the Biden inaugural committee, what are some things you might want it to communicate? Why?

Video

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transcript

The Poet Amanda Gorman Says America Can Be the 'Light' It Needs

Amanda Gorman, a 22-year-old poet, recited her poem "The Hill We Climb" at President Biden's inauguration.

Mr. President, Dr. Biden, Madam Vice President, Mr. Emhoff, Americans and the world. When day comes, we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade the loss? The loss we carry asea we must wade. We've braved the belly of the beast. We've learned that quiet isn't always peace. In the norms and notions of what just is, isn't always justice. And yet the dawn is hours before we knew it. Somehow we do it. Somehow we've weathered and witnessed a nation that isn't broken, but simply unfinished. We, the successors of a country and a time, where a skinny black girl, descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president, only to find herself reciting for one. And yes, we are far from polished, far from pristine. But that doesn't mean we are striving to form a union that is perfect. We are striving to forge our union with purpose, to compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and conditions of man. And so we lift our gaze, not to what stands between us, but what stands before us. We close the divide because we know to put our future first, we must first put our differences aside. We lay down our arms so we can reach out our arms to one another. We seek harm to none, and harmony for all. Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true. That even as we grieved, we grew. That even as we hurt, we hoped, that even as we tired. we tried, that will forever be tied together victorious. Not because we will never again know defeat, but because we will never again sow division. Scripture tells us to envision that everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid. If we're to live up to our own time, then victory won't lie in the blade. But in all the bridges we've made. That is the promise promise to glade, the hill we climb. If only we dare it. Because being American is more than a pride we inherit. It's the past we step into, and how we repair it. We've seen a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it. Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy. And this effort very nearly succeeded. But while democracy can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated. In this truth, in this faith, we trust. For while we have our eyes on the future, our history has its eyes on us. This is the era of just redemption. We feared it at its inception. We did not feel prepared to be the heirs of such a terrifying hour. But within it, we found the power to author a new chapter, to offer hope and laughter to ourselves. So while once we asked, how could we possibly prevail over catastrophe, now we assert how could catastrophe possibly prevail over us? We will not march back to what was, but move to what shall be, a country that is bruised but whole. Benevolent but bold, fierce and free. We will not be turned around or interrupted by intimidation because we know our inaction and inertia will be the inheritance of the next generation. Our blunders become their burdens. But one thing is certain. If we merge mercy with might, and might with rights, then love becomes our legacy and change our children's birthright. So let us leave behind a country better than the one we were left with. Every breath, my bronze-pounded chest. We will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one. We will rise from the gold-limned hills of the West. We will rise from the windswept Northeast where our forefathers first realized revolution. We will rise from the lake-rimmed cities of the Midwestern states. We will rise from the sun-baked South. We will rebuild, reconcile and recover in every known nook of our nation, in every corner called our country. Our people, diverse and beautiful, will emerge battered and beautiful. When day comes, we step out of the shade of flame and unafraid. The new dawn blooms as we free it. For there was always light. If only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it.

Amanda Gorman, a 22-year-old poet, recited her poem "The Hill We Climb" at President Biden's inauguration. Credit Credit... Erin Schaff/The New York Times

Update: Here is a transcript of the poem from CNN.
1. Watch the video of Ms. Gorman reading "The Hill We Climb." Then read the poem, underlining its most important words. Explain why you think these particular images are essential to the poem's meaning.

2. Ms. Gorman has an extraordinary ear for subtle rhymes. Watch or reread aloud "The Hill We Climb" and listen for them. Which stood out for you?

3. Throughout the poem we find references to events from the news. Identify these lines. What do these references invite readers to reflect on about America and Americans?

4. How does Amanda Gorman marry sound to sense, her language to her message, in these lines?

We've seen a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it,

Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy.

And this effort very nearly succeeded.

But while democracy can be periodically delayed,

It can never be permanently defeated.

In this truth, in this faith, we trust.

5. In the title of her poem Gorman employs the metaphor of a hill. Beyond a feature on a landscape, what does this image suggest to you? What else might a hill represent? Where else does this image appear in the poem?

6. How would you characterize the tone of this poem? What is the "light" Gorman makes reference to here?

There is always light.

Only if we are brave enough to see it.

There is always light.

Only if we are brave enough to be it.

7. Identify lines in the poem that reflect the occasion for which "The Hill We Climb" was written. How do the lines you have chosen suggest issues surrounding the inauguration of a president in 2021?

8. Read the poem once more selecting a line or phrase that struck you as luminous or beguiling. Write about what the line caused you to think. Turn to a partner or small group, read the poem aloud once more, and discuss the selected lines.

9. In the Times article about how Ms. Gorman came to write this poem, we learned that some of the lines were inspired by the events of Jan. 6. Which do you think those were? Why? Once you've made your guess, look back at this article to see if you were right. Do you think she managed to do what she told The Times she planned to do by both confronting dark realities and offering "a breath for joy"?

Write Your Own Occasional Poem:
Consider writing your own occasional poem inspired by a news event that moves, angers, saddens or inspires you.

For example, right now, many poets are writing about the losses Covid-19 has wrought. Julia Alvarez's "How Will This Pandemic Affect Poetry?," which you can read in this piece, is a remarkable example, and a collection edited by Alice Quinn, " Together in a Sudden Strangeness: America's Poets Respond to the Pandemic," contains many more. In the video above, you can hear Ms. Gorman's poem "The Miracle of Morning," which explores these losses while also crafting a praise song for human endurance.

Video

Amanda Gorman

Create an Animated Poem:
In 2018, The Times's Race/Related newsletter asked Ms. Gorman for original poetry for Black History Month. It then animated her words. You can see one poem above, and another here.

You might use these as inspiration to make short videos of a poem of your own choosing - one someone else wrote, or one you wrote yourself.
Write a Readers' Theater Script:
Ms. Gorman's inaugural poem can easily be performed as Reader's Theater. Divide the poem for individual voices, then choose some lines to be read in chorus for emphasis. Perform the poem for your class - whether you're currently in school virtually or in-person.

Consider the Role of Inaugural Poetry:
A 2008 article, " The Intersection of Poetry and Politics," written just before Mr. Obama became president, quotes Christian Wiman, then editor of Poetry Magazine:

In a way, the poem itself is not the point. I would guess that a president-elect decides to have an inaugural poem in the first place not in the hope of commissioning some eternal work of art, but in order to acknowledge that there is an intimate, inevitable connection between a culture's language and its political life."

Do you agree? Is there "an intimate, inevitable connection between a culture's language and its political life"? What examples can you find to support your opinion?
Pair "The Hill We Climb" With "Inaugural" by Jericho Brown

Listen to This Article

Audio Recording by Audm

The Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Jericho Brown also wrote a poem on the occasion of Joe Biden's inauguration. Listen to him reading "Inaugural." What do you understand by these line "I don't want/To be hopeful if it means I've got to be/Naïve"?

How do you think these lines relate to the later passage that reads, "To the air because we are dumb enough/To decide on something as difficult/As love"?

What do "Inaugural" and "The Hill We Climb" share - in terms of message, wording, tone, structure or anything else? What lines show that?
More Resources

Image

Amanda Gorman on the Charles River near Harvard in Cambridge, Mass. Related Article Credit... Tony Luong for The New York Times

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Lesson of the Day: Amanda Gorman and 'The Hill We Climb'

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In this lesson, students learn about the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history and consider her work as part of a tradition of occasional poetry. Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021. Updated: Jan.

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juvenile fiction / social themes / prejudice & racism

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juvenile fiction/people & places - united states - african american & black

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teenage personal and social topics: racism

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juvenile fiction / people & places / united states / african american

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juvenile fiction / poetry (see also stories in verse)

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juvenile fiction / social themes / prejudice & racism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile fiction/people & places - united states - african american & black

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile fiction/poetry (see also stories in verse)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile fiction/social themes - prejudice & racism

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children’s / teenage general interest: places and peoples

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Change Sings: A Children's Anthem [Gorman, Amanda, Long, Loren] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Change Sings: A Children's Anthem

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Award-winning Black female writer Amanda Gorman, 22, is set to become the youngest inaugural poet in memory when she recites her work at President-elect Joe Biden Joe Biden Katy Perry and her 'Firework' close out inauguration TV special Arizona Republican's brothers say he is 'at least partially to blame' for Capitol violence Tom Hanks: After years of 'troubling rancor,' Inauguration Day 'is about witnessing the permanence of our American ideal' MORE 's inauguration Wednesday.

Gorman in 2014 became the the first Youth Poet Laureate of Los Angeles and three years later was named the country's first National Youth Poet Laureate. She will carry on the tradition for Democratic presidents of having celebrated poets read an original piece at inauguration ceremonies.

According to , Gorman said she was contacted late last month by the Biden inaugural committee, with officials telling her that she had been recommended by incoming first lady The Associated Press Jill Biden Jill Biden The Hill's 12:30 Report: Biden hits the ground running on COVID Scorned and mistreated, Melania Trump deserved much better from the media Jill Biden thanks 'service members, first responders, civil servants' in first video statement MORE .

Gorman's poem, which she said is titled, "The Hill We Climb," will follow in the line of noteworthy works by celebrated poets such as Robert Frost and Maya Angelou. The AP reported that Angelou's "On the Pulse of Morning," written for the 1993 inauguration of former President Clinton, went on to sell more than 1 million copies when published in book form.

While Gorman declined to preview any lines, she told the AP she was encouraged by the inaugural committee to emphasize messages of unity and hope without "denigrating anyone" or declaring "ding, dong, the witch is dead" over Biden's electoral defeat of President Trump Donald Trump Clinton, Bush, Obama reflect on peaceful transition of power on Biden's Inauguration Day Arizona Republican's brothers say he is 'at least partially to blame' for Capitol violence Biden reverses Trump's freeze on .4 billion in funds MORE .

According to , the Harvard University graduate was previously invited to the Obama White House and has been asked to perform for former Secretary of State Gorman's website Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton Biden's inauguration marked by conflict of hope and fear Schumer becomes new Senate majority leader Clinton says it meant 'great deal' to hold inauguration weeks after riot MORE , Lin-Manuel Miranda and Malala Yousafzai.

Gorman has also performed several commissioned poems for "CBS This Morning," and has spoken at events at the Library of Congress, as well as Lincoln Center in New York City.

The poet is one of several performers announced by the Biden team Thursday who will be participating in next week's inaugural ceremonies. Lady Gaga has been tapped to sing the national anthem, and Jennifer Lopez has also been asked to perform at inaugural ceremonies on the West Front of the Capitol.

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Biden chooses Amanda Gorman as youngest known inaugural poet

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Award-winning Black female writer Amanda Gorman, 22, is set to become the youngest inaugural poet in memory when she recites her work at President-elect Joe Biden Joe Biden Katy Perry and her 'Firework' close out inauguration TV special Arizona Republican's brothers say he is 'at least partially to blame' for Capitol violence Tom Hanks: After years of 'troubling rancor,' Inauguration Day 'is about witnessing the permanence of our American ideal' MORE 's inauguration Wednesday.

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Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman will host Zoom event with Montgomery College

Feb. 2 reading by national youth poet laureate open to public

Amanda Gorman, the poet and activist who captivated the country with her Inauguration Day poem at the swearing-in of President Joe Biden, will host a poetry reading for Montgomery College students in two weeks.

Gorman, 22, on Wednesday became the youngest inaugural poet in United States history.

She gave a powerful reading of her poem "The Hill We Climb," written largely in the wake of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol. The poem reflects on the troubles of the past several years - racial unrest, a devastating global pandemic, political division - but punctuates the importance of moving forward as a unified country.

"Somehow we weathered and witnessed a nation that isn't broken, but simply unfinished. We, the successors of a country and a time where a skinny black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president, only to find herself reciting for one," the poem reads.

"And, yes, we are far from polished, far from pristine, but that doesn't mean we are striving to form a union that is perfect. We are striving to forge our union with purpose. To compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters, and conditions of man."

From 12:30 to 2 p.m. on Feb. 2, Gorman will host a Zoom poetry reading for Montgomery College students and the community. A post on the Montgomery College website says "all are welcome" and people can preregister online.

In a text message on Wednesday night, Montgomery College spokesman Marcus Rosano wrote that Gorman's event was booked prior to her inauguration appearance and immediate widespread social media fame.

Gorman, of Los Angeles, published her first poetry collection at 16, and became the first national youth poet laureate in 2017. She has a sociology degree from Harvard University and plans to run for president in 2036, the first year she is old enough to do so, according to the Los Angeles Times.

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Amanda Gorman will host poetry reading with Montgomery College

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Amanda Gorman, the poet and activist who captivated the country with her Inauguration Day poem at the swearing-in of President Joe Biden, will host a poetry reading for Montgomery College students in two weeks. Gorman, 22, on Wednesday became the youngest inaugural poet in United States history.

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The youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history read "The Hill We Climb," which she finished after the riot at the Capitol. "I'm not going to in any way gloss over what we've seen," she says.

Video

Back

transcript

The Poet Amanda Gorman Says America Can Be the 'Light' It Needs

Amanda Gorman, a 22-year-old poet, recited her poem "The Hill We Climb" at President Biden's inauguration.

Mr. President, Dr. Biden, Madam Vice President, Mr. Emhoff, Americans and the world. When day comes, we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade the loss? The loss we carry asea we must wade. We've braved the belly of the beast. We've learned that quiet isn't always peace. In the norms and notions of what just is, isn't always justice. And yet the dawn is hours before we knew it. Somehow we do it. Somehow we've weathered and witnessed a nation that isn't broken, but simply unfinished. We, the successors of a country and a time, where a skinny black girl, descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president, only to find herself reciting for one. And yes, we are far from polished, far from pristine. But that doesn't mean we are striving to form a union that is perfect. We are striving to forge our union with purpose, to compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and conditions of man. And so we lift our gaze, not to what stands between us, but what stands before us. We close the divide because we know to put our future first, we must first put our differences aside. We lay down our arms so we can reach out our arms to one another. We seek harm to none, and harmony for all. Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true. That even as we grieved, we grew. That even as we hurt, we hoped, that even as we tired. we tried, that will forever be tied together victorious. Not because we will never again know defeat, but because we will never again sow division. Scripture tells us to envision that everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid. If we're to live up to our own time, then victory won't lie in the blade. But in all the bridges we've made. That is the promise promise to glade, the hill we climb. If only we dare it. Because being American is more than a pride we inherit. It's the past we step into, and how we repair it. We've seen a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it. Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy. And this effort very nearly succeeded. But while democracy can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated. In this truth, in this faith, we trust. For while we have our eyes on the future, our history has its eyes on us. This is the era of just redemption. We feared it at its inception. We did not feel prepared to be the heirs of such a terrifying hour. But within it, we found the power to author a new chapter, to offer hope and laughter to ourselves. So while once we asked, how could we possibly prevail over catastrophe, now we assert how could catastrophe possibly prevail over us? We will not march back to what was, but move to what shall be, a country that is bruised but whole. Benevolent but bold, fierce and free. We will not be turned around or interrupted by intimidation because we know our inaction and inertia will be the inheritance of the next generation. Our blunders become their burdens. But one thing is certain. If we merge mercy with might, and might with rights, then love becomes our legacy and change our children's birthright. So let us leave behind a country better than the one we were left with. Every breath, my bronze-pounded chest. We will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one. We will rise from the gold-limned hills of the West. We will rise from the windswept Northeast where our forefathers first realized revolution. We will rise from the lake-rimmed cities of the Midwestern states. We will rise from the sun-baked South. We will rebuild, reconcile and recover in every known nook of our nation, in every corner called our country. Our people, diverse and beautiful, will emerge battered and beautiful. When day comes, we step out of the shade of flame and unafraid. The new dawn blooms as we free it. For there was always light. If only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it.

Amanda Gorman, a 22-year-old poet, recited her poem "The Hill We Climb" at President Biden's inauguration. Credit Credit... Erin Schaff/The New York Times

Two weeks ago, the poet Amanda Gorman was struggling to finish a new work titled "The Hill We Climb." She was feeling exhausted, and she worried she wasn't up to the monumental task she faced: composing a poem about national unity to recite at President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s inauguration.

"I had this huge thing, probably one of the most important things I'll ever do in my career," she said in an interview."It was like, if I try to climb this mountain all at once, I'm just going to pass out."

Gorman managed to write a few lines a day and was about halfway through the poem on Jan. 6, when pro-Trump rioters stormed into the halls of Congress, some bearing weapons and Confederate flags. She stayed awake late into the night and finished the poem, adding verses about the apocalyptic scene that unfolded at the Capitol that day:

We've seen a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it,

Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy.

And this effort very nearly succeeded.

But while democracy can be periodically delayed,

It can never be permanently defeated.

At 22, Gorman is the youngest inaugural poet ever in the United States. She joins a small group of poets who have been recruited to help mark a presidential inauguration, among them Robert Frost, Maya Angelou, Miller Williams, Elizabeth Alexander and Richard Blanco.

But none of her predecessors faced the challenge that Gorman did. She set out to write a poem that would inspire hope and foster a sense of collective purpose, at a moment when Americans are reeling from a deadly pandemic, political violence and partisan division.

"In my poem, I'm not going to in any way gloss over what we've seen over the past few weeks and, dare I say, the past few years. But what I really aspire to do in the poem is to be able to use my words to envision a way in which our country can still come together and can still heal," she said. "It's doing that in a way that is not erasing or neglecting the harsh truths I think America needs to reconcile with."

On Wednesday, as she recited "The Hill We Climb," in front of the Capitol in the bright sunlight, her voice animated and full of emotion, Gorman described her background as a "skinny Black girl, descended from slaves and raised by a single mother," who can dream of being president one day, "only to find herself reciting for one." She spoke about the weight of loss that the country has endured, in verses that reflected the fragile state of the country.

When day comes, we ask ourselves:

Where can we find light

In this never-ending shade?

The loss we carry, a sea we must wade.

Reading lines that echoed the theme of the inauguration, "America United," she spoke of the possibility of unity and reconciliation.

And yet the dawn is ours before we knew it.

Somehow, we do it.

Somehow, we've weathered and witnessed

A nation that isn't broken, but simply unfinished.

Gorman fell in love with poetry at a young age and distinguished herself quickly as a rising talent. Raised in Los Angeles, where her mother teaches middle school, she would write in journals at the playground. At 16, she was named the Youth Poet Laureate of Los Angeles. A few years later, when she was studying sociology at Harvard, she became the National Youth Poet Laureate, the first person to hold the position.

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"Change Sings," by Amanda Gorman with illustrations by Loren Long, is scheduled for release in September.

In a year that's beginning with a major milestone, with her appearance at the inauguration, Gorman is set to reach a much larger audience with her work. In September, Viking Books for Young Readers will release her debut poetry collection, also titled "The Hill We Climb," which is aimed at teenage and adult readers and will include the inaugural poem. Her debut picture book, "Change Sings," with illustrations by Loren Long, comes out on the same day. After the inauguration, Penguin Young Readers said it would also publish a special hardcover edition of the poem on its own this spring, with a first printing of 150,000.

Still, while she has been in the spotlight before, Gorman had never performed her work for a televised audience that likely numbered in the tens of millions, as a prominent part of a lineup that included Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez.

"No pressure," Gorman said with a laugh.

Early reviews of Gorman's performance were glowing. On Twitter, former President Barack Obama lauded her for writing "a poem that more than met the moment." Accolades poured in on social media from the poet Jericho Brown as well as Oprah Winfrey and Lin-Manuel Miranda, whose musical "Hamilton" Gorman has said she listened to for inspiration.

Biden's inaugural committee contacted Gorman late last month. During a video call, she learned that Jill Biden had seen a reading she gave at the Library of Congress and suggested Gorman read something at the inauguration. She wasn't given any explicit guidelines about what to write, she said.

"They did not want to put up guardrails for me at all," she said. "The theme for the inauguration in its entirety is 'America United,' so when I heard that was their vision, that made it very easy for me to say, great, that's also what I wanted to write about in my poem, about America united, about a new chapter in our country."

At the same time, Gorman felt the poem needed to acknowledge the dark chapter in American history we are living through.

"We have to confront these realities if we're going to move forward, so that's also an important touchstone of the poem," she said. "There is space for grief and horror and hope and unity, and I also hope that there is a breath for joy in the poem, because I do think we have a lot to celebrate at this inauguration."

Gorman began the process, as she always does, with research. She took inspiration from the speeches of American leaders who tried to bring citizens together during times of intense division, including Abraham Lincoln and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. She also spoke to two of the previous inauguration poets, Blanco and Alexander.

When she asked Alexander for advice, "she just basically told me, 'The poem is already written, it's already done. Now, it's just up to you to bring it to life as best as you can,'" Gorman said.

To prepare for the event on Wednesday, she practiced reading the poem over and over, to the point where she felt confident that she would not stumble over the words. "For me, that takes a lot of energy and work," she said. "The writingprocess is its own excruciating form, but as someone with a speech impediment, speaking in front of millions of people presents its own type of terror."

Gorman took comfort in something that Blanco told her when they spoke, when he said that "it's just not one of us up there, it's a representation of American poetry."

"Now more than ever, the United States needs an inaugural poem," Gorman said. "Poetry is typically the touchstone that we go back to when we have to remind ourselves of the history that we stand on, and the future that we stand for."

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Amanda Gorman Captures the Moment, in Verse

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The youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history read "The Hill We Climb," which she finished after the riot at the Capitol. "I'm not going to in any way gloss over what we've seen," she says. Two weeks ago, the poet Amanda Gorman was struggling to finish a new work titled "The Hill We Climb."

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Can you be a poet if you have speech and auditory processing issues? The nation's first Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda Gorman, is living proof that you can.

Gorman has always had a love for words. However, the path to becoming a poet wasn't easy.

Both Gorman and her twin sister were born prematurely. Their mother, Joan Wicks, feared they might have physical and developmental issues because of their birth complications.

Despite these challenges, her mom says she was inquisitive and a bit of an "overachiever" from a young age. "She had trouble expressing herself," her mom says, "but she was always advanced in her thought."

Gorman learned to read later than other kids. But once she knew how, she became an avid reader and writer.

She attended a private school where she received accommodations to meet her needs. At first, she wasn't a fan of the help she was receiving.

"I'm so stubborn," Gorman confesses. "I refused to use the accommodations. My mom pushed me to use the extra time on my tests."

Over time, she grew to appreciate the extra help. And though her speech and auditory processing issues were always present, Amanda didn't allow them to be a stumbling block in her life.

"My challenges were always, just for me, something that was reality," she says. "But I knew I had strengths, too, especially with words and writing."

As a young child, Gorman wrote her own stories. Then, in third grade, a teacher introduced Amanda to poetry and metaphor for the first time. Because of her communication issues, she was entranced by the power of poetry to express ideas.

Maya Angelou became an inspiration for her. After reading Angelou's autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, she felt a special connection to the iconic Black poet.

"I felt like Maya was me growing up," Gorman says. "She overcame years of not speaking up for herself, all for the love of poetry."

Some kids with learning and thinking differences can have a hard time with the language of poetry. But Amanda did not. Poetry came naturally to her, and she was soon writing a lot of it.

In high school, Gorman was encouraged by one of her mentors to apply for the new Youth Poet Laureate initiative in Los Angeles, where she lived. The program was started by Urban Word, a literary arts and youth development nonprofit.

The application required her to submit poems, and she sent in several touching on themes of social injustice. The poems struck a chord, and in 2014 Gorman was named Los Angeles Youth Poet Laureate. In 2015, she published her first book of poetry, The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough.

Last year, Gorman was named the first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate by Urban Word. (The honor is a youth version of the National Poet Laureate, which is selected by the Library of Congress. This year, a second National Youth Poet Laureate was also named.)

"Being a Youth Poet Laureate is similar to being a Poet Laureate," she explains. "You bring your youth into the platform of poetry. You're not just an ambassador for poetry. You're making sure young voices are represented in the field of literature."

Today, in addition to working on her poetry, Gorman is a student at Harvard.

Of Gorman's many accomplishments, her mom says she's most proud of her daughter's strong sense of justice. Her mom sees her strong empathy for others, a trait she's had from an early age.

"Amanda is clear with her ethical core, she stands up for herself and others," mom Joan Wicks says. "It wasn't always easy with her challenges, but she's learned to build people up."

Looking back, her mom marvels at what her daughter has been able to do.

"Every child has a gift, it just has to be discovered," she says. "Where there's a deficit, there's a place where the child makes it up."

Any opinions, views, information, and other content contained in blogs on Understood.org are the sole responsibility of the writer of the blog, and do not necessarily reflect the views, values, opinions, or beliefs of, and are not endorsed by, Understood.

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Amanda Gorman, Youth Poet Laureate, has speech and auditory processing issues

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Can you be a poet if you have speech and auditory processing issues? The nation's first Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda Gorman, is living proof that you can. Gorman has always had a love for words. However, the path to becoming a poet wasn't easy. Both Gorman and her twin sister were born prematurely.

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Back to lesson plans archive

Lesson Plan: Discuss 22-year-old Amanda Gorman's inaugural poem "The Hill We Climb"
For a Google doc version of this lesson, click here. You will need to make a copy of the Google doc for a version you can edit. Overview
In this lesson, students examine the poetry of Amanda Gorman, who was chosen to read her poem "The Hill We Climb" at President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20, 2021. Gorman's poem will complement Biden's message and themes of "unity."

Subjects

English, English Language Arts, Social Studies

Estimated Time

One 50-to-60 minute class period

Grade Level

Objectives: Students will be able to:

Understand the message and goals of poet Amanda Gorman as she prepares to speak to the nation at the presidential inauguration.

Observe the message, meaning, tone or impact of "The Hill We Climb" and another poem by Gorman, "The Miracle of Morning."

Write in a reply or response to capture the spirit of Gorman's poem, "The Hill We Climb."

Create connections between the moment in history, the poet's messages and their own lives.

Main activities:
Watch (5-10 mins): Introduce your students to 22-year-old Amanda Gorman (PBS NewsHour), who will read her poem at the inauguration. Amanda Gorman will read her poem "The Hill We Climb" during the inaugural events - after Lady Gaga sings the national anthem, and before Jennifer Lopez performs. Soon to be First Lady Dr. Jill Biden is a fan of Amanda's poetry.

You can also watch Gorman delivering her inaugural poem below, and read a transcript here.

1. As students watch, have them think about the following questions:

What do you notice?

What do you wonder?

What stands out to you?

Why might poets be tapped to read or speak at presidential inaugurations?

2. Ask students to share their observations, and discuss their thoughts.

3. Read: Watch/Listen/Read another one of Gorman's poems, " The Miracle of Morning," written in 2020. Instructional Note: In this Google Doc is a text of the poem , including a YouTube of Gorman reading her poem (more info ), and another link to the PBS NewsHour with Gorman.
Optional extension for remote students: Create copies or ask groups of students to make a copy of the Doc, and annotate, highlight or have a conversation with the text. Perfect way for groups of students to collaborate remotely on the poem.

4. Free Write/Free Response: Choose one. (Instructional note: Have students respond to the poem in the way that best suits their needs, or use this Free Response as a warm up activity to get your students writing.)

Write your own poem in reply to Gorman's poem "The Miracle of Morning." Choose a line, a vibe or a moment from the poem to inspire your response. What are you waking up to today? What is the miracle in your morning (or mourning)?

Stream of consciousness: Write after reading and just capture your vibe or feeling from the poem or the article about Gorman.

5. Tribute: Gorman wrote "The Miracle of Morning" poem in the spring of 2020. Write a tribute in honor of someone you know on this #CovidMemorial Day , either in memory of, in praise of, or in appreciation of.

Inauguration Day extension: Amanda Gorman will read "The Hill We Climb" at the inauguration. Have students watch or read the poem after it is presented.

What do you expect this poem to be about?

What might the message be, and why?

How might the audience impact the message of this poem? How might the moment in time frame it?

What poem would you write with this title ("The Hill We Climb")? Who is the "we" and what is the "hill"? Write your own poem to this message and metaphor.

Optional extensions:

Have students share the lines that inspired them from "The Miracle of Morning" and share their own poems.

Explore the mood and tone of the poem, and how Gorman equivocates on the dual meaning of "morning" and "mourning" - what are your students mourning? What are they grieving? How does the poem show juxtaposition (the existence of two things being placed closely together with contrasting effect) and dichotomy (a division between two things that are represented as being different)?

Gorman highlights the everyday heroes - essential workers, health care teams and more - in her poem. Who are the everyday heroes in the lives of your students? Have students write tributes or odes to their everyday heroes through the pandemic and in their lives.

In an, Gorman said, "Now more than ever, the United States needs an inaugural poem. Poetry is typically the touchstone that we go back to when we have to remind ourselves of the history that we stand on, and the future that we stand for." What do you think she means? How does poetry capture our feelings or attitudes in a way that traditional speeches or prose does not?

Kate Stevens, M.S. in Curriculum & Instruction, is a hybrid educator with more than a decade of experience in online, hybrid and blended learning. In 2015, Kate was honored with Colorado Department of Education's Online & Blended Teacher of the Year. An instructional coach, global professional development leader and former photojournalist, she proudly teaches 9-12 language arts at Poudre School District Virtual in Fort Collins, Colorado. Connect with Kate on Twitter @KateTeaching .
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Lesson Plan: Discuss 22-year-old Amanda Gorman's inaugural poem "The Hill We Climb" | Lesson Plan | PBS NewsHour Extra

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Back to lesson plans archive For a Google doc version of this lesson, click here. You will need to make a copy of the Google doc for a version you can edit. Overview In this lesson, students examine the poetry of Amanda Gorman, who was chosen to read her poem "The Hill We Climb" at President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Jan.

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The morning after her powerful performance of "The Hill We Climb" at the inauguration of President Biden, poet Amanda Gorman hit another high point: She took the top two slots on Amazon's bestseller list - for titles that won't be out until the fall.

At No. 1 is her debut poetry collection, also called The Hill We Climb, and at No. 2 is a picture book called Change Sings: A Children's Anthem, illustrated by Loren Long, both set to come out in September.

Gorman told NPR's Steve Inskeep that she struggled with her inaugural poem at first, "because you don't even really know the entry point in which to step into the murk." But the insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6 spurred her to finish. "I was like, 'Well, this is something we need to talk about.' "

The poem - which hit a range of notes from Scripture to Hamilton - drew widespread praise. NPR poetry critic Craig Morgan Teicher called it " beautiful," and Gorman had this memorable Twitter exchange with Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda:

You were perfect. Perfectly written, perfectly delivered. Every bit of it. Brava! -LMM
- Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) January 20, 2021

Gorman has some interestingly inaugural-themed company on the list. At No. 3 is Ambitious Girl, a picture book by Meena Harris, niece of the new vice president. Harris told NPR's Michel Martin the book was inspired by her Aunt Kamala, who was criticized for being "too ambitious" on the campaign trail.

And just behind Ambitious Girl is former President Barack Obama's memoir A Promised Land, one of the bestselling books of 2020 and still going strong in the new year.

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After Inaugural Performance, Poet Amanda Gorman Tops The Amazon Bestseller List

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The morning after her powerful performance of "The Hill We Climb" at the inauguration of President Biden, poet Amanda Gorman hit another high point: She took the top two slots on Amazon's bestseller list - for titles that won't be out until the fall. At No.

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On January 20, 2021, 22-year-old Amanda Gorman made history as the country's youngest inaugural poet. Only four previous presidents have invited poets to speak at their inaugurations, lending their voices and visions for the country to these historic moments.

Gorman-poet, activist, and author-has been speaking on issues of social justice since she was a teenager growing up in Los Angeles. In a 2017 The Project for Women interview, having just been named America's first National Youth Poet Laureate, Gorman reflected on the power of poetry, explaining, "The fight for social injustice not only inspires my writing but my life's work. Through poetry I can speak to both the world's problems and its solutions, as well as the microcosms of conflict inside myself. I love writing poetry because it is innately cutting-edge; as a black female poet, every time I take the stage I have a new opportunity to defy limitations placed on the art, contributions, and leadership of creative women of color."

Amanda Gorman's Inauguration Day poem, "The Hill We Climb," is a powerful call to action focusing on themes of hope, unity, healing, and resilience. In this Teaching Idea, students reflect on these themes and consider how their own unique experiences and voices can help America "forge a union with purpose."

If you have 15 minutes:

Help students learn about the inaugural poet Amanda Gorman and examine her ideas about unity and "forg[ing] a union with purpose" as a class.

1. Introduce Amanda Gorman

Share a few highlights from the LA Times article How a 22-year old L.A. native became Biden's inauguration poet with your students.

2. Discuss What It Means to Be Unified

Project or distribute the following excerpt from the "The Hill We Climb":

And yes we are far from polished
far from pristine
but that doesn't mean we are
striving to form a union that is perfect
We are striving to forge a union with purpose

Read aloud this section of the poem. You might ask a different student to read each line. Then read this section again, asking one student to read it in full or reading it to the class yourself. Then in pairs or small groups, depending on what's possible given social distancing, ask students to discuss the following questions:

What does it mean to be unified?

What does it mean to "forge a union with purpose"? To help students answer this question, you might give them a few synonyms for the word purpose (motivation, grounds, cause, reason, justification, intention, aim, objective, goal, etc.).

Ask for volunteers from each pair or group to share their response to one of the questions. Responses are not intended to arrive at an answer, but rather to offer reflection on one of the poem's core themes: unity.

3. Reflect on a "Union with Purpose"

To close, use the following prompt to help students think about "forg[ing] a union with purpose."

What is the difference between a country that is perfect and a country with purpose? What three words would you use to describe an America with purpose?

Have students share their three words in a wraparound.

Remote Learning Note: During a synchronous session, share highlights about Amanda Gorman with the class or ask students to read the LA Times article independently before class. Project and read the poem to the class or have students volunteer to unmute themselves and read it out loud. Move students to breakout room groups of three for the discussion. They can record their ideas in a shared Google Doc or use a different online tool. For the final reflection, have students share their three words in the chat.

If you have a full class period:

Watch a recording of Amanda Gorman's recitation of "The Hill We Climb" and then do a close reading of a section of the poem in order to consider Gorman's call to action.

1. Introduce Amanda Gorman

Share highlights from the LA Times article How a 22-year old L.A. native became Biden's inauguration poet with your students.

2. Reflect on Gorman's Recitation of "The Hill We Climb"

Watch the video of Gorman's performance (05:32) after distributing the transcript to your students. Invite students to star lines of the poem or moments in the recitation that resonate with them. Alternatively, they can jot words and images on their copy of the transcript or in their notebooks. After watching the video, give students the opportunity to reflect on the poem with the following journal prompt:

Imagine that you are going to post 1-2 lines from Gorman's "The Hill We Climb" to social media. Which line or lines would you choose and why?

Have students share their lines and why they chose them in pairs.

3. Discuss Gorman's Call to Action with a Close Reading Activity

Invite students to take a closer look at Gorman's masterful use of language in the middle section of the poem in order to deepen their understanding of her call to action. Start by rereading the following section or replaying the video (starting at 03:40). You can also invite volunteers to read it out loud, perhaps alternating each line.

So while once we asked,
how could we possibly prevail over catastrophe?
Now we assert
How could catastrophe possibly prevail over us?
We will not march back to what was
but move to what shall be
A country that is bruised but whole,
benevolent but bold,
fierce and free
We will not be turned around
or interrupted by intimidation
because we know our inaction and inertia
will be the inheritance of the next generation
Our blunders become their burdens
But one thing is certain:
If we merge mercy with might,
and might with right,
then love becomes our legacy
and change our children's birthright
So let us leave behind a country
better than the one we were left with

In pairs or small groups, depending on what's possible given social distancing, have students discuss the questions below. Then have groups share their ideas in a class discussion, focusing on the call to action in the final question.

What "catastrophes" might Gorman be referencing in this section of the poem? How have one or more of these catastrophes impacted you, your family, and your community?

Reread this section of the poem and circle the word "we" every time it gets repeated.

What is the impact of this repetition?

Why do you think Gorman repeats "we" here and throughout the poem?

How do you see or not see yourself as part of this "we"?

Discuss the final phrase of this section: "So let us leave behind a country / better than the one we were left with.

What would it look like, sound like, and/or feel like if your generation were to leave behind a country that is better than the one you are inheriting?

What specific actions can you take as part of Gorman's call to action?

4. Make Personal Connections to the Text

To close the lesson, read aloud the final lines of the poem to consider its impact:

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

Ask students to answer the following question in a journal or as an exit card:

When your light shines brightest, what are you brave enough to see and what are you brave enough to be?

Remote Learning Note: Students can learn about Amanda Gorman by reading the LA Times article or listening to this NPR Morning Edition podcast interview (07:00) asynchronously. You could also ask them to bring to class something they've learned on their own about Gorman, perhaps from a podcast, TEDTalk, article, or video, and then share what they learned in the chat as a warm-up during a synchronous session. Then watch the video together and have students debrief their journal responses in triads in breakout rooms. For the close reading section, re-watch that section of the video together or read it aloud to the class before moving students to small breakout groups for their discussions. They should record their ideas in a shared document or using an online tool like a Padlet or shared whiteboard. Then they can present their ideas the class before completing the final reflection on their own, during class or asynchronously, as a follow-up activity.

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Reflecting on Amanda Gorman's "The Hill We Climb"

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On January 20, 2021, 22-year-old Amanda Gorman made history as the country's youngest inaugural poet. Only four previous presidents have invited poets to speak at their inaugurations, lending their voices and visions for the country to these historic moments. Gorman-poet, activist, and author-has been speaking on issues of social justice since she was a teenager growing up in Los Angeles.

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at the Biden Inauguration 2021

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watch amanda gorman recite stunning poem at biden inauguration - cnn video

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Watch Amanda Gorman recite stunning poem at Biden inauguration - CNN Video

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Amanda Gorman, the United States' first-ever youth poet laureate, recited a powerful poem at the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

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African-American Writers Reflect on Amanda Gorman

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African-American Writers Reflect on Amanda Gorman

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Seattle African-American writers reflect on U.S. youth poet laureate, Amanda Gorman

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Local Seattle African-American writers reflect on the youngest poet laureate to recite a poem at a presidential inauguration.

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children’s / teenage fiction: general fiction

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children’s / teenage general interest: places and peoples

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children’s / teenage personal and social topics: prejudice and intolerance

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children’s / teenage personal and social topics: racism

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juvenile fiction/people & places - united states - african american & black

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juvenile fiction/poetry (see also stories in verse)

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juvenile fiction/social themes - values & virtues

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people & places - united states - african american & black

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teenage general interest: places and peoples

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teenage personal and social topics: prejudice and intolerance

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teenage personal and social topics: racism

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young adult fiction / people & places / united states / african american

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young adult fiction / social themes / prejudice & racism

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juvenile fiction/people & places - united states - african american & black

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juvenile fiction/poetry (see also stories in verse)

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juvenile fiction/social themes - values & virtues

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young adult fiction / people & places / united states / african american

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young adult fiction / social themes / prejudice & racism

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children’s / teenage fiction: general fiction

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children’s / teenage general interest: places and peoples

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children’s / teenage personal and social topics: prejudice and intolerance

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children’s / teenage personal and social topics: racism

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Amazon.com: The Hill We Climb: Poems (9780593465066): Gorman, Amanda: Books

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Click here: E2 Equity Educators

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'Overjoyed': Hear from poet who stole the show at inauguration

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National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman's poem "The Hill We Climb," written for the 2021 inauguration, presents a great opportunity for educators and students to discuss the ways creative expression can help us think about the meaning of democracy.

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Teach This: "The Hill We Climb" and the 2021 Inauguration

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National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman's poem "The Hill We Climb," written for the 2021 inauguration, presents a great opportunity for educators and students to discuss the ways creative expression can help us think about the meaning of democracy.

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Pointed Reading with The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman

In When Kids Can't Read/What Teachers Can Do, I described a strategy called Pointed Reading. I encourage you to think about using this...

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from Christian Robinson's Instagram - art + interview!

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from Christian Robinson's Instagram - art + interview!

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https://www.instagram.com/p/CKSCc9OHmVh/

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On January 20, 2021, President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris were sworn into office. At the Inauguration ceremony, U.S. Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman made history in being the youngest Inaugural poet. Here are several lessons, all shared with their creators' permission, to help you teach Amanda Gorman's poem and inauguration poetry with your students.

Thank you Carrie Mattern, Susan Barber, Melissa Alter Smith, Chanea Bond, Teresa Floch, and Pernille Ripp for sharing your work. A full text of the poem can be found here.

Watch Amanda Gorman read the Inaugural poem "The Hill We Climb"

"The Hill We Climb" hyperdoc

To explore the poem's craft, some questions you can ask your students (these are also all on the hyperdoc linked above, created by Melissa Alter Smith):

What stands out to you? What part do you remember?

When did Gorman use creative word play? To make what point? (An example of word play: "we've learned that quiet isn't always peace" is a play on the common phrase "peace and quiet")

When did Gorman use anaphora? Why might she have chosen to use it there? What effect does it have?

What metaphors does Gorman create? How do they help to make comparisons?

Where do you notice words being emphasized together with alliteration? How do you think those words work together to create meaning?

What is "the hill we climb"?

How does Gorman include history (older and recent) in her poem?

She both starts and ends her poem with light. Explore the various meanings of light. How does she use light both as an opening and a closing?

What is her call at the end of the poem?

Bonus: did you spot the references to Hamilton?

Image source: Instagram @amandascgorman

Meet Amanda Gorman hyperdoc created by Carrie Mattern - click on image to access doc

Inauguration Poetry Google Slides. Slides 1-4 by Chanea Bond and Teresa Floch, and slides 5-18 by Pernille Ripp

Inaugural Poetry Lesson by Susan Barber

PBS News Hour Lesson Plan: History of presidential inaugurations and how to plan your own ceremony Carol Jago's lesson in The New York Times
Do you have an Inaugural Poetry lesson to add? Twitter DM Melissa at @MelAlterSmith

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On January 20, 2021, President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris were sworn into office. At the Inauguration ceremony, U.S. Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman made history in being the youngest Inaugural poet. Here are several lessons, all shared with their creators' permission, to help you teach Amanda Gorman's poem and inauguration poetry with your...