The Power of Poetry: Amanda Gorman Brings Hope to America

Eliana Finkel ‘24

At 23 years old, poet Amanda Gorman has come into the public eye as an exemplary person and a symbol of hope in the dark times America has endured. 
Gorman was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Her passion for writing began at a very young age. 

“My mom used to have to pay me quarters every day I stayed in bed instead of waking up super early to write,” she said in an interview with Coven Magazine.
As she grew, so did her need to share her writing with the world. Gorman has practiced the art of poetry since she could write, but only started to share her work when she was 14 years old. Until recently, she struggled with a speech impediment, but Gorman worked on creating a positive perception of herself and her voice. When she got onto a stage to perform her own poem from the heart, she learned to light up a room. 
“I think one of the ways she’s most inspiring to me is the way she overcame her speech impediment,” sophomore Izzi Zellan said. “To be as articulate and emotionally moving as she is despite the fact that she’s had difficulty with language is incredibly impressive.”
When Gorman was younger, she gained confidence from a website called WriteGirl, a program that helps to coach young girls through writing workshops. As a result of participating in the WriteGirl program, she aspired to be a poet, earning multiple awards and honors for her poetry, including becoming the first national youth poet laureate in 2017.
As she started to perform more frequently, Gorman’s name started to appear over and over again. Thanks to the experience gained from her journey and inspiration from WriteGirl, she started her own non-profit organization called One Pen One Page that encourages girls to write and share their voices.
Gorman finds that her love of writing stems from her love of teaching.
“Whenever I can lead creative writing workshops is always a huge thrill for me,” she said to Coven Magazine.
Gorman takes no performance for granted, using every opportunity she can to pay her education forward. She keeps the millions of women who are silenced in mind when she writes, and incorporates the common themes of feminism, racism and the African diaspora in her poems, all painful realities of today’s world that affect her specifically.
Prior to the inauguration, although certainly less well-known, Gorman had the chance to perform at the Library of Congress and Lincoln Center. Jill Biden discovered Gorman in 2017 at the Library of Congress performance, a recitation that floored the future First Lady and eventually led her to suggest that Gorman be asked to recite a poem for the inauguration of her husband, President Joe Biden. She reached out to Gorman over Zoom to formally ask her if she would do her the honor of being this year’s inaugural poet — and the youngest one in America to date.
The Biden Administration asked Gorman to write a poem that would instill optimism in every single American watching at home. 
“I felt in awe when I heard her poem at the inauguration,” Zellan said. “It was realistic, but still so hopeful, and it made me feel a little more hopeful too.”
Gorman tells the media that she was only about halfway done with her poem before the insurrection on Jan. 6 at the capitol. She did not rewrite her poem but went forth with a new challenge and determination to bring Americans hope and remind them of the value of democracy.
“It’s doing that in a way that is not erasing or neglecting the harsh truths I think America needs to reconcile with,” she told the New York Times.“Poetry is typically the touchstone that we go back to when we have to remind ourselves of history that we stand on, and the future that we stand for.”
Today, Gorman has become a household name across the nation. Her carefully sought-out words inspired everyone who was watching, and continue to, as in her Superbowl poem about the courage of essential workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. She has not only illustrated the opportunity America has to find itself once more but shined a light on how literature speaks volumes.
“Amanda’s poem helped to inspire a sense of hope for all Americans at a time of partisan division,” sophomore Sabrina Smokler said. “Her words were powerful and serve as a reminder of what our nation can become.”