A Day of Celebration

Yesterday’s inauguration was truly a momentous day in history that will surely be remembered by all who witnessed it. Perhaps President Barack Obama’s own words explain the importance of the event most powerfully. He reminded his audience of the fact that “a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath”. In his speech, President Obama put a large emphasis on exactly how far America has come to reach the year of 2009. He continually referenced those soldiers and Americans of the past who have endured unimaginable hardships to gain the freedom that we possess today. Elizabeth Alexander’s poem, “Praise Song for the Day” only further highlights President Obama’s strong words of encouragement. Similar to his speech, the poem speaks of past laborers, freedom, and hope for the future.
The first stanzas of “Praise Song for the Day” paint a picture of everyday American lives. The speaker uses simple language to describe “our business” and refers to different “someones” that are “stitching up a hem” or “trying to make music somewhere”. This shows the diversity of our country, and the freedom that we have to choose what “our business” will be each day. However, in stanza 9, there is a clear turning point in the poem’s casual tone. The speaker does not try to sugarcoat our past. “Say it plain/ that many have died for this day”. While we mindlessly go about enjoying the freedom of everyday life, we cannot forget the many people who have died for that freedom. President Obama also repeatedly alludes to these veterans. In his speech, he stated “Time and again these men and women struggled and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life”. In response to these bitter truths, Alexander’s poem rejoices, “Praise Song for the struggle/ Praise song for the day”. Yesterday was not just a day in which America received a new leader. It was a day of celebration and praise. Though our country is in a time of discouragement, we must look at all we have endured in the past, and rejoice in our many blessings today. Both Elizabeth Alexander and President Obama end on a similar note. Alexander’s poem ends in an optimistic exclamation, “Praise song for walking forward in that light!” while President Obama also looks toward the future in a positive light with the confident hope that our generation will someday proudly be able to say “we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.”