Stilted delivery on this poem - it’s hard to tell if it’s any good.
It’s blank verse. It’s just not very good.
What about us Pastafarians HUH (jeez even on this board we get ignored)
I like this poem, but her delivery is so herky-jerky. Guess the thought of being heard by a billion people around the globe is making her a bit nervous.
You can put emotion into your poem in other ways than pausing between words, ya know.
Why is she reciting her crappy poem like she’s teaching kindergarteners? Who’s that? And where’s the Poet Laureate?
This poem sounds so awkward!
Am I the only one who was a bit disappointed with the speech. Obama’s delivery was fine but the text seemed quite trite. Perhaps my expectations were too high.
cringe This is what gives poetry a bad name…
Who is this man?
ETA : they’re discussing the speech, over here, so I don’t know who he is and what he’s saying… (the black man with a moustache)
OK, so which soundbytes do we predict will be used from that for decades to come? Anything to rival “ask not what your country…”?
Nice eyebrows. Goes along with Aretha’s hat.
Who is this dude, and why does he sound like Sean Connery on downers?
Did Rev Dr Lowry march with Rev Dr King? He sounds old enough, and as past president of SCLC was in the proper organization to do so.
kermit the frog here.
On Elizabeth Alexander: When they first announced that she’d be reading, I looked up her poetry and wasn’t terribly impressed. This one was much better that others I’ve read. Even had a few moments that were good. But, yeah, not great.
I can’t see anything but the eyebrows. Lower the microphones!
jjimm, my guess is the open your fist bit.
Since the shot of the Tuskegee Airmen isn’t a soundbite.
Just caught the live stream of Obama’s speech on the Toronto Star site. Wow.
Great eyebrows. World class.