Inauguration day
and here's this young
well spoken
black woman
Amanda Gorman
whose not so distant
ancestors were slaves
reading beautifully
the poem she wrote
for the new President
Vice-President and just appointed
cabinet members
for the whole country and indeed
for all the world
to hear and see what's truly great
about America
what still engenders hope
past all our deep
divides and all the ugly
stories of slavery
racism and injustice
this woman's words
her smiling face
expressive gestures
a gift to all of us
gladly received
a gift one hopes
will be repayed with something
more than just words
however beautifully
hers have conveyed the task
the many tasks
that lie before us
hers was a moment
that will reverberate
through time
and will be noted
by good people
everywhere