Born: 30 May 1962
Birthplace: Harlem, New York City, New York [raised in Washington, D.C.)
American author, poet, educator & playwright
“Perhaps tragedies are only tragedies in the presence of love, which confers meaning to loss. Loss is not felt in the absence of love.”
~Elizabeth Alexander, American poet & educator
The Light of the World: A Memoir (April 2015) New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2015, p. 3
Extended excerpt: [Memoir – First paragraph of book]
“The story seems to begin with catastrophe but in fact began earlier and in not a tragedy but rather a love story. Perhaps tragedies are only tragedies in the presence of love, which confers meaning to loss. Loss is not felt in the absence of love. “The queen died and then the king died” is a plot, wrote E.M. Forester in The Art of the Novel, but “The queen died and then the king died of grief” is a story.” (p. 3)
Source: Editor’s copy – The Light of the World (April 2015) International Standard Book Number (ISBN) 978-1-455-59987-5
“What if the mightiest word is love?
Love beyond marital, filial, national,
love that casts a widening pool of light,
love with no need to preempt grievance.
In today’s sharp sparkle, this winter air,
anything can be made, any sentence begun.
On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp,
praise song for walking forward in that light.”
~Elizabeth Alexander, American poet & educator
“Praise Song for the Day” (2009) Transcript available via “Inaugural Poem,” 20 January 2009, The New York Times, New York, NY: New York Times; online via The New York Times, www.nytimes.com; Video of Alexander reading the poem at Barack Obama’s Presidential Inauguration available via YouTube, www.youtube.com
Extended excerpt: [Inaugural poem, written & recited by Elizabeth Alexander at President Barack Obama’s inauguration. Italics and text style as it appears in the New York Times printing.]
“Some live by love thy neighbor as thyself,
others by first do no harm or take no more
than you need. What if the mightiest word is love?
Love beyond marital, filial, national,
love that casts a widening pool of light,
love with no need to preempt grievance.
In today’s sharp sparkle, this winter air,
anything can be made, any sentence begun.
On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp,
praise song for walking forward in that light.”
Source link [transcript]: “Inaugural Poem” (20 Jan. 2009) The New York Times [subscription service]: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/us/politics/20text-poem.html?_r=0
Source [text]: Praise Song for the Day, Graywolf Press, St. Paul, MN (6 Feb. 2009) International Standard Book Number (ISBN) 9781555975456
Source link [video]: “Inaugural Poem: “Praise Song for the Day” (20 Jan. 2009) The White House, via YouTube (video – 4:09): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vLBnFk-OFc
Learn more about Elizabeth Alexander | Here are a few good places to start –
