{"id":4575,"date":"2016-07-11T15:40:21","date_gmt":"2016-07-11T15:40:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/repeatright.com\/engine\/?p=4575"},"modified":"2018-10-08T19:46:17","modified_gmt":"2018-10-08T19:46:17","slug":"alexander-elizabeth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.repeatright.com\/engine\/alexander-elizabeth\/","title":{"rendered":"ALEXANDER, Elizabeth"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cPerhaps tragedies are only tragedies in the presence of love, which confers meaning to loss. Loss is not felt in the absence of love.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

~Elizabeth Alexander<\/strong>, American poet & educator<\/p>\n

The Light of the World: A Memoir <\/em>(April 2015) New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2015, p. 3<\/p>\n

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Extended excerpt<\/em><\/strong>: [Memoir – First paragraph of book]\n

\u201cThe story seems to begin with catastrophe but in fact began earlier and in not a tragedy but rather a love story. Perhaps tragedies are only tragedies in the presence of love, which confers meaning to loss. Loss is not felt in the absence of love<\/span>. \u201cThe queen died and then the king died\u201d is a plot, wrote E.M. Forester in The Art of the Novel<\/em>, but \u201cThe queen died and then the king died of grief\u201d is a story.\u201d (p. 3)<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-search” add_icon=”true” title=”Source ISBN” tab_id=”1449531589797-29580b31-8c50094f-cf63bdea-852b”][vc_column_text]\n

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Source<\/em><\/strong><\/span>: Editor\u2019s copy \u2013 The Light of the World<\/em> (April 2015) International Standard Book Number (ISBN) 978-1-455-59987-5<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][\/vc_tta_tabs][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_tta_tabs style=”modern” shape=”square” active_section=”1″][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-book” add_icon=”true” title=”Citation” tab_id=”1453315829087-ce67c619-0fbcbdea-852b”][vc_column_text]\n

\u201cWhat if the mightiest word is love?<\/p>\n

Love beyond marital, filial, national,<\/p>\n

love that casts a widening pool of light,<\/p>\n

love with no need to preempt grievance.<\/p>\n

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In today\u2019s sharp sparkle, this winter air,<\/p>\n

anything can be made, any sentence begun.<\/p>\n

On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp,<\/p>\n

praise song for walking forward in that light.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

~Elizabeth Alexander<\/strong>, American poet & educator<\/p>\n

\u201cPraise Song for the Day\u201d (2009) Transcript available via \u201cInaugural Poem,\u201d 20 January 2009, The New York Times<\/em>, New York, NY: New York Times; online via The New York Times, www.nytimes.com; Video of Alexander reading the poem at Barack Obama\u2019s Presidential Inauguration available via YouTube, www.youtube.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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Extended excerpt<\/em><\/strong>: [Inaugural poem, written & recited by Elizabeth Alexander at President Barack Obama\u2019s inauguration. Italics and text style as it appears in the New York Times<\/em> printing.]<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSome live by love thy neighbor as thyself<\/em>,<\/p>\n

others by first do no harm<\/em> or take no more<\/em><\/p>\n

than you need.<\/em> What if the mightiest word is love?<\/span><\/p>\n

Love beyond marital, filial, national,<\/span><\/p>\n

love that casts a widening pool of light,<\/span><\/p>\n

love with no need to preempt grievance.<\/span><\/p>\n

In today\u2019s sharp sparkle, this winter air,<\/span><\/p>\n

anything can be made, any sentence begun.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp,<\/span><\/p>\n

praise song for walking forward in that light.<\/span>\u201d<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-search” add_icon=”true” title=”Source Links” tab_id=”1453315829682-63e8fade-cf4cbdea-852b”][vc_column_text]\n

Source link <\/em><\/strong>[transcript<\/strong>]<\/span>: \u201cInaugural Poem\u201d (20 Jan. 2009) The New York Times\u00a0<\/em>[subscription service]: http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2009\/01\/20\/us\/politics\/20text-poem.html?_r=0<\/a><\/p>\n

Source\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>[text<\/strong>]<\/span>: Praise Song for the Day<\/em>, Graywolf Press, St. Paul, MN (6 Feb. 2009) International Standard Book Number (ISBN) 9781555975456<\/p>\n

Source link\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>[video<\/strong>]<\/span>: \u201cInaugural Poem: \u201cPraise Song for the Day\u201d (20 Jan. 2009) The White House, via YouTube (video – 4:09): https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=_vLBnFk-OFc<\/a><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][\/vc_tta_tabs][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n

Resources<\/h4>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css_animation=”none” el_class=”Wrapper-Author-Resources”]Learn more about Elizabeth Alexander<\/strong><\/span> | Here are a few good places to start –<\/p>\n