I’ve been ruminating ang cogitating and contemplating on this poem night and day since the inauguration—this is likely about the tenth revision or refinement. It, like Amanda’s iteration of her vision of our tattered democracy , will likely never be finished. Ode to Amanda (contemplation on Amanda Gorman’s Inaugural Poem “The Hill We Climb”) As I poured through your words Trying to find the light in the never-ending shade You spoke of-- In my jaded view (After all I’m only 84 today—you’re already twenty-three) In my jaded view I say, The beast’s belly seemed to me a devouring monster, Leading me to a wallowing in my own sense of Being wronged by friend and foe alike. This is the hill we must climb? Tell us how to do it! I’m not so sure we knew it! Tell us how the nation isn’t broken—how to finish it. Skinny black girl from slaves descended—tell us Privileged whiteys, our privilege now up-ended How to heal the brokenness we pretended not to know Was in our DNA. We tried to turn our particular democracy into autocracy, Hide behind our masks of hypocrisy, make a mockery of Our Hippocratic oath to defend the Constitution, Allow our institutions up-ended by insurrectionists Masquerading as resurrectionists. We heard you say the dream was delayed but not defeated. Tell us how to avoid disaster and history repeated, How the cascading catastrophes we see approaching, And the results of our encroaching and Nature’s fierce response to our ravenous rapacity Will not be our ending. You have such hope, Skinny black girl-- Not so skinny anymore, You raise your voice and body to challenge us as a country To rise up and recognize our inaction, That our inertia will be our legacy. But if we find strength in mercy and justice, We will not settle for “just what is” And love will no longer be a fantasy. The poem is yours But the last word will be ours if we pay attention, Not give up our election to allow truth and justice The final mention. Milan Hamilton January 25, 2021 Sent from my iPad