hey, who is the inaugural poet for 2025? actually YOU are
dear all poets everywhere: congrats! you have been chosen (by me, right now) to be the 2025 inaugural poet.
so get to work.
It's Time.
What the hell is an Inaugural Poem?
The tradition of inviting an American poet to write a poem on the identity, history, status or vision of The United States to be read as part of the Presidential Inaugural ceremony at the US Capitol began in 1961 when Robert Frost was invited by John F. Kennedy Jr. to be the first Inaugural Poet. Frost actually never performed the poem he intended to read, a poem called “Dedication” because he claimed that the glare of the sun on the snowy ground blinded him temporarily, so he recited a different poem, “The Gift Outright” from memory.
In 1993 Bill Clinton asked Maya Angelou to read at his inauguration and she read “On The Pulse of Morning”. In 1997 for his second Inauguration the poet Miller Williams read “Of History and Hope”. In 2009 Barack Obama invited Elizabeth Alexander to read her poem “Praise Song for the Day” and in 2013 for his second inauguration Richard Blanco read “One Today”. In 2020 Joe Biden invited Amanda Gorman, who was only 22 at the time, to read her poem “The Hill We Climb” at his inauguration.
And that’s it. The US has had 45 presidents and only four of them have included the work of a poet in the Presidential Inauguration.
An Inaugural Poem is, by definition, an Occasional Poem, written to mark the occasion of swearing in a new president. But the poem is NOT about praising or promoting a president or even the country itself. An inaugural poem is a gauntlet thrown. It is a chance to narrate, interrogate, investigate and illustrate YOUR idea of what American has been, is now, and has the potential to be. It can hold every sentiment, every emotion, every insight, from horror to humor to hope.
Here in 2025, it is time for EVERY poet in the United States, poets of every age, background, belief and level of experience to rise to the urgent challenge of writing an Inaugural poem.
It is YOUR voices that we need to hear.
Inaugural poems are NOT only written to be read on January 20th, they are meant to be written and read, shared and spoken all year long, as our country swerves into this new, deeply fraught era. The glare might be blinding us, but writing an inaugural poem is a chance to do the work you came to do, to speak your whole truth about the country you live in, to stitch your own voice as a poet into the torn fabric of the future.
As poets, as artists, WE are the ones to record this moment in history, to tell the truth about what and who we see shaping or sledgehammering or saving our country.
Why Should I Write One and How Do I Start?
There are many reasons to write an Inaugural Poem, but here’s one: because no matter WHO you are, HOW your got here or HOW LONG you’re staying, this is YOUR country. Say what it means to you. What you know of it. How you feel. What you are afraid of. What you want. For whom, with whom, about whom will you speak? Poets and writers and artists have been at the forefront of every major evolution in culture and society since the beginning, so you are part of a long and vital history. We need to add your words, your voice to that history.
There are lots of resources exist for poets looking for how to write an Inaugural Poem, yours can be any length, any style. Here are some ideas from poets.org
https://poets.org/text/inaugural-poem-assignment
But you can start your poem ANYWHERE, just make it honest and authentic to your own unique point of view.
Here are a few questions to consider:
What does it mean to you to be (or not be) a “citizen”?
What have you been waiting to say about your country?
Describe the day on which you were most proud or most ashamed of this country.
What aspects or people or places in this country give you hope?
What even in this country’s history has impacted you the most?
What do you know of borders?
Where has this land or it’s people surprised you the most?
How would you retell this history of this country?
What voices have been missing in narrating this country’s history, whose voice would you love to hear?
What about this country should be protected or purged or praised?
What do you know of exile?
Where and when have you felt most at home in this country?
How has the land, the earth of this country changed you?
What brought us to this moment in this country? What will happen next?
Is there a difference between the country in which we live vs. the country to which we belong?
What does this country still have the potential to become?
What Do I Do With My Poem?
READ IT. Read it out loud, to yourself, to the dog, to your housemates, to your parents, to your fellow poets. Poetry comes alive in the BODY, not just on the page. Some of you will feel comfortable/ safe enough to post your poem on Social Media, while others might not, that’s fine, do what is right for YOU. (feel free to use #yourinauguralpoem )
However you choose to share your work, keep the energy of it MOVING, your poem has the power to empower, inspire and motivate others, so use it!
How Can Poets Survive This Coming Day / Week / Year?
Some Americans will choose to watch or listen to the Inaugural events of Jan 20th, while others will not. As a poet, choose where you place your attention. But the 20th is a GREAT day to read and write poetry. Read poetry out loud to your friends.
Poems can be a beacon as well as a shelter. Whatever is coming in this country artists must meet it TOGETHER. In words as well as actions. Speak through your work.
Lift one another.
Raise your voice.