Lesson 8.04: Miller Williams: 1997 Inaugural Poet

• Introduction
• Learn
• Try It
• Task

Following successful completion of this lesson, students will be able to: situate an inaugural poem in its historical context analyze ways that literary and stylistic elements convey meaning in a poem analyze two inaugural poems, synthesizing their understanding of both texts through an essay ACoS: 1, 2, 9, 20, 20a, 20b, 20d, 22, 28, 35, 36

Introduction

Following his re-election to a second term of the Presidency, Bill Clinton chose poet Miller Williams to read at the 1997 inauguration.

In a PBS interview, Mr. Williams makes the following statements about the challenges of writing a poem to be read at a Presidential inauguration:

“It’s hard partly because in a case like this, considerable attention attends the situation, and it’s been a little bit difficult to find the time to hide away as much as I’d like to, to let all this poem come together. But I don’t really mind … because I truly believe that when one accepts an appointment like this, the inaugural poet … to an important degree, enters the public domain. A part of me belongs to the American people.”

Continue to the Learn section of the lesson to read the poem that Williams composed for the occasion.