HSHMC English 4
A Response to the Poetry of
Amanda Gorman
We watched together the poet laureate Amanda Gorman read her powerful words at the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. So many firsts this past week, a woman as vice-president in the White House, a woman of color that my students can look to and see what is possible. In addition, a first lady a practicing educator with the title Dr. Biden Ed.D. As a teacher who also pursued her doctorate in education, there is a special joy and recognition of our first lady championing equity and educational issues in this administration.
But it is this voice, the young poet laureate Amanda Gorman who spoke loudest to my students. We listened to her words the day of the inauguration and there was such a deep response. She addressed the need for change but provided hope and inspired action. We asked the students to write their own two lines that they would to her work, and then curated these lines into our own crowdsource response poem. I have posted it here to share with you. Word matter. Student voices matter. Enjoy.
The Hill We Climb A Response Poem
This day…
Today we walk on the road towards unity and a bright future.
From here on out, we build the future we deserve.
Today is the start of a new and improved beginning.
We will move forward together and overcome
everything and anything to rise to success.
We grew into a world full of hate, but will
be the light our new generation sees.
Today we will rise as one.
Although separate, we are never alone.
On this day, we will love as one.
At this time, we will conquer as one.
We will overcome, a brighter future is ahead for all of us.
Today will be our first step as we grow as one.
Move forward and look toward building a better future.
From this day forward, we will come together,
fight together in unity and oneness
despite color, ethnicity, religion, or economic status.
The start of a more successful, more clear future starts today.
If one voice isn’t enough, we will stand
together to make sure all of our voices are heard.
We are a team, we are stronger as one.
We will not march back to what was but moved 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.
We shall not delay but, more so, take the time to plan for a greater future for all.
Why not love rather than hate? We can all rise together as one.
On this day, we take steps forward as a whole.
From this day on, we will make a difference together.
Today we unveil the blueprint of reparation for our nation. Today we reclaim our future.
we will grow together as one and reclaim our freedom
From this moment forward, hand in hand, we shall walk the road to happiness and glory.
So we must overcome all the hate
because together we are one
This will be the day that our nation feels free.
We will come together and end this war we have with ourselves.
From here on now, we will rise together again.
From here on now, we will be ONE again.
This is the time to make a change
to make our voices heard.
To stand in the light and get the future we all deserve
From now on, we lift our voices and become the light we were once unable to see
We will all move forward together as one.
We will continue to thrive, we will up and rise, from this day on we´ll trounce
On this day, we move forward to a better and brighter future.
On this day, we are finally brought together for our nation and our future generations.
We shall be brave to see it.
On this day, we all become one; we shall overcome loathing and see a brighter future.
We must not forget the past but
Embrace it
As our future will be shaped by it
The past may be dark, but the future doesn’t have to be.
Because in darkness we shine.
We shine together.
We will, and we must overcome the prejudice of our country’s past.
We will, and we must become a stronger and braver country together.
We will see the light within us while we’re together through thick and thin.
As we rebuild the beautiful land of the free, we must rebuild our American pride as one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.
We are united and stronger together.
If we stay strong we shall not fall.
If we continue, we will overcome all our past scars.
We cannot change the direction of the wind, but we can adjust our sails to reach our destination. Only together can we decide our future. We must journey to the light.
Shadows of the sunless may fog us, but our hope and strength will live.
As we leave the past, let’s move forward into the future without our past mistakes.
Never to be fallen, rejoice, and give courage to the eyes of the world for everyone.
We must find the root of all inequality injustice and destroy it to rejoice together in a United Nations.
With this being said, let us celebrate a new leader who we hope will navigate this country to success.
We must always learn from our mistakes.
If only to bond with each other as one whole to attack the deadly sins.
To improve things for all, we must travel together.
Because if we travel alone, we will only improve ourselves.
As we are united, the stronger the force we become.
We shall overcome our countries struggles and unite as a whole.
We must repair this divide in order to move forward.
We will become stronger with every obstacle we face, united, not divided.
We will rise from the past mistakes.
Why struggle alone through the many stages of grief? When we can unite together to make the world as it should be.
The darkness of the past will always haunt us from below, but we must stand tall towards a brighter future.
Now with our new scars that humble us.
We will march into a new world that unites us.
As the land of freedom, justice, and liberty, we shouldn’t be saying “If.”
That is why we should stand tall and commit to our bright future.
While still holding our new leader accountable.
We must be ready for the change, although it might be scary.
We must hold hands, and differences will not affect the cause we stand for, the right to be ourselves.
We can be better together.
We must overcome the past that binds us.
Will we ever be able to go the distance to get the justice that we deserve in the “United” States of America?
Where can we be stars that shine in the dark?
WIth unity, we will overcome the shadows that drove us apart, but we can outshine together.
Where can we find this bravery that we crave?
If only we are brave enough to face it.
If only we are brave enough to change it.
Let’s not stop with “If only.” Let start it now, here in the land of freedom, justice, and liberty.
Our past is dark, but our future is bright
suspended, but not contained
it is the dream that wakes within us all.
We shall stay strong together, for remaining apart can delay our success.
Let’s rise up and show everyone what we can do!
We shall raise this world to be happy, as one, all united.
These words shall hold a motivation to this era.
We will rise from the oppression we have seen.
We will witness democracy prevail; nothing could bring us down.
We will move in unity and become one.
We come together today,
As this ends today.
We shall overcome the struggles of today.
So we can build a future for the ones to come.
A new chapter. A new beginning
We are the future, as one.
English 4 Authors
Zainab Abdidahir
Bryan Alvarez
Raul Alvarez
Lucero Aguilar-Aguilar
Abdi Adan
Ayub Abdullahi
Ezekiel Ayala-Beltran
Jada Baylis
Kayla Bracy
Reuben Calas
Katie Candib
Karina Chairez
Set Damian
Kaylee Davis
Cesar Diaz
Jenny Dinh
Jamille Duarte
Ali Esmailpour
Cameron Fields
Adam Fiztwilson
Raquel Flores-Castanon
Kaylah Foster
Ernesto Gallegos
Victoria Garcia
Daniel Garcia Garcia
Arianna Gutierrez
Jessica Ibanez-Cota
Kaleb Konieczka
Ivan Larson
Yanaili Lea Guadarrama
Britny Herrera
Emily Lira
Leo IIagan
Zach Lovdahl
Eric Love
Andrea Luevano
Bryan Marquez Aguilar
Lizette Martinez Gonzalez
Saphire Martinez
Adeleena Mixayphonh
Arlette Morales
Ava Perez-Robles
Jairy Regaldo
Eleazar Rivera Gutierrez
Wendy Rodriguez Rivas
Jasmine Rosales
Jocelyn Ruiz Gonzalez
Alyssa Sandoval
Cynthia Silva
Samaya Thomas
Jose Torres
Ariana Toves-Delfin
Diana Tzoni
Kevin Valenzueal-Pina
Alejandro Vazquez
Yocelinne Vazquez
Daniel Vidal
Julie Vu
Juan Zuniga