Kelly Braden
Poet. Storyteller. Designer.
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White House Poetry

White House
We The Poets

The White House hosted an afternoon workshop on poetry, as well as played host to a collection of poets, musicians, and performers of all types for an evening of poetry last night.

It does take a poetic scientist to see how beautifully awesome this is. Poetry is an important art form that ought to have a much wider audience, and it’s refreshing to see our nation’s leader being a vessel for poetry.

Personally, I think poetry should have a much bigger role in the elegance of government. Poets have always fought for the sensible nature of humanity reign over our malignant emotional ills.

Our President Speaks

Speaking at the celebration, President Barack Obama had the following to say about poetry:

The power of poetry is that everybody experiences it differently. But as a nation built on freedom of expression, poets have always played an important role in telling our American story.

Well said Mr. President! Read his complete remarks from last night.

A Varied Collection

Participants at the celebration of American poetry and prose included Elizabeth Alexander, Billy Collins, Rita Dove, Kenneth Goldsmith, Alison Knowles, Aimee Mann, Jill Scott, Common, and Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers.

Common’s appearance sparked a typical racist barage of criticism from individuals who obviously give no credence to a fine tuned lyrical artist, especially a rapper who is more poetically political than typically mysogynist, which honestly fuels a lot of rap music.

Added to that is that Common does a lot of good in his hometown of Chicago, and inspires a young generation of inner city kids to express themselves through words rather than gangs and violence.

Perhaps those who seek to criticize Common and the White House should recognize Common’s original moniker of Common Sense, and use that instead of ignorance.