Mark Reads to You

Week 45: Inaugural Poems


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Joe Biden will be only the fourth President of the US to have a poem delivered as part of his inauguration. JFK started the practice with his inaugural in 1961, for which Robert Frost wrote a poem specific to the occasion. He then wound up delivering a different poem from memory, as solar glare made it impossible for him to read the new poem.  Poetry then took a bit of a hiatus until Bill Clinton, who included poetry at both of his inaugurations. Barack Obama did the same at both of his inaugurals as well.

At age 22, US Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman will become the youngest poet to deliver a poem at a US Presidential inauguration.  Good luck Amanda, and good listening to all!

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Mark Reads to YouBy Mark Coen


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