Sorry, but the poetry is not of much interest. . .

[Cronus Protagonist]

. . . to me, and likely the same for most.

[NYC Liberal]

1. For me it's only because we already had the climax

:)

[Harry Monroe]

28. Now that you've had the climax...

...are you having a cigarette yet??

[Harry Monroe]

29. And now that you've had the climax...

...are you having a cigarette yet??

Edit: sorry, already posted.

[ogneopasno]

2. Bad delivery, and an awkward poem. It doesn't sing at all.

I mean, "preempt grievance"? It's full of the passive voice, hesitancy, and sentence fragments without verbs. Not very inspiring at all.

[Cronus Protagonist]

11. I'm wondering if she were the poet or just a reader

Because if she's just a reader, she's not so good at it, and if she's the poet, I'm sorry to say but that delivery is embarrassing and lays doubt on the essence of the words.

[enlightenment]

16. I agree.

An awful delivery. If you're going to write in fragments, you'd best learn how to deliver them without sounding like an eight-year old giving their first public speech.

[fishwax]

3. I think it's great

[Peregrine Took]

14. I liked it a lot, too and 'thought the delivery was excellent. n/t

[Ichingcarpenter]

4. Still better than

Nazi warren

[Tangerine LaBamba]

5. BringAretha back.....

Ever since Robert Frost read at JFK's inaugural, the poetry at these things has been infinitely forgettable.

This woman is especially uninspiring.

<shudder>

[Gregorian]

6. Maya Angelou was on BBC last night. And her poem was incredible.

I'm hoping she speaks here. You'll be amazed.

[eShirl]

she freaking ROCKS!!!

this poet, not so much

[LeftyMom]

7. She's a terrible speaker. It's painful.

[vanderBeth]

I was looking foward to having the poetry

but I didn't care for this.

[MindPilot]

8. You could put Fred Phelps up there right now...

and no one would give a shit.

The good part is over.

[csziggy]

9. Some in the back of the crowd are starting to wander off n/t

[ThatsMyBarack]

10. I just turned on I Love Lucy.

It's the one where they are in Paris and Lucy goes on a hunger strike to get Ricky to buy her a designer dress. ;)

[vanderBeth]

13. Oh, I love that one!

[Sanity Claws]

12. How does this qualify as poetry?

It has none of the lyrical qualities of a poem.

[hughee99]

15. I like poetry, I just didn't think this one was very good.

Hopefully, the low point of his presidency will be that poem.

[devilgrrl]

17. What a shame, the world could use more of it.

:shrug:

[Stevenmarc]

18. That poem took more than a few pokes with a sharp stick at 43

for that I liked it.

[Goblinmonger]

19. Not a great poem

in this English teacher's opinion. Not horrible, just not all that good. Of course, compared to Maya, everyone looks like shit.

[Midlodemocrat]

20. I liked it. It was very inclusive.

[RadiationTherapy]

21. Remember when poetry was NOT prose?

I am so sick of non-poetic poetry.
Amateurs.

[Shiver]

22. I don't get poetry

At all. I can't tell a good one from a bad one. :shrug:

[Chorophyll]

23. Yeah. Stupid poets.

Bush doesn't get them, either.

:eyes:

[Cronus Protagonist]

24. You project

I didn't like this particular poem, or the delivery, and perhaps poetry in general should not be part of this kind of public ceremony, although I did not say that either - maybe I thought it. And I did not say any of them, or this one, are stupid. Maye you need to take that foot out of your mouth before posting? :shrug:

[Chorophyll]

25. You don't think Barack might be a tough act to follow?

There's plenty of fluff in the inauguration. Get rid of the preachers, the choirs, the whole shebang. I don't care. It's odd to pick on the poet instead of Rick Warren, but whatever.

[Cronus Protagonist]

27. It was just badly done, and I would have got rid of the prayers too

Although the last prayer was perfectly appropriate.

[timtom]

26. It is my opinion that poetry, in addition to being well-written

must be read well, too.

Oral interpretation - see Vachel Lindsay or Robert Frost or Dylan Thomas.

[Cronus Protagonist]

30. I'm with you on that one

This person read like a high school B student and if she were also the poet, it didn't bode well for the expected quality either. She lost me with the halting gaps in her speaking, mainly. All I can remember was something about snipping things up.