Even before its official publication, Dr. Elizabeth Alexander’s poem for the inauguration of President Barack Obama is already providing a real-life specimen for creative writing classes to dissect and poets to debate.
The poem, which will be published by independent nonprofit Graywolf Press on Feb. 6, set off a wave of analysis and criticism on blogs and in classrooms across the country. However the poem is already widely available on the Internet.
The critics did not like it, did not understand it or did not like her delivery of it, according to a perusal of blogs and articles.
Some even regarded it as a flop.
“Two minutes after it was over I couldn’t remember it” ran one of the kindlier reviews of Elizabeth Alexander’s poem at Obama’s inauguration. Others were more direct. “Inept,” “horrible” and “trivial” fizzed the blogs,” reported The Sunday Times (of London) reported Feb. 1, two weeks after Alexander delivered her composition before millions of people at Obama’s inauguration.
Everyone appears to have an opinion, including leading poets, academics and their students.
