She was all over social media the day after Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were inaugurated.

Young African-American poet Amanda Gorman captivated audiences on Wednesday, January 20, with her verses calling for the unity of the United States.

Dressed in a yellow coat and a red headdress, the 22-year-old from Los Angeles recited a poem of her composition, "The hill we climb", a reference to Capitol Hill, where supporters of Donald Trump invaded the seat of Congress on January 6.

Her text, which she wrote in one go after this murderous assault, evokes "a force that will break our Nation, rather than share it".

"This effort has almost succeeded, but if democracy can be delayed at times, it cannot be permanently suppressed."

"Maya Angelou is delighted"

In a calm voice, she chanted her rhymes, accompanying them with graceful movements, not letting a stuttering pierce that, like Joe Biden, affected her in her childhood.

And who also pushed her to write, to compensate.

The poet described herself as "a skinny black girl, descended from slaves, raised by a single mother," who finds herself "reciting" in front of a president.

The performance of the young woman was greeted by personalities like Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey.

EM Obama Gorman tweet

With her strong and poignant words, @TheAmandaGorman reminds us of the power we each hold in upholding our democracy.

Keep shining, Amanda!

I can't wait to see what you do next.

💕 #BlackGirlMagic



Photo credit: Rob Carr pic.twitter.com/C2cf0U5iEj

- Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) January 20, 2021

“I have never been so proud to see another young woman emerge!”, Enthuses the latter on Twitter.

"Maya Angelou is happy - and so am I." she added, referring to the African-American novelist and poet ("I know why the bird sings in a cage", Éd Poche).

EM tweet Oprah Gorman

I have never been prouder to see another young woman rise!

Brava Brava, @TheAmandaGorman!

Maya Angelou is cheering — and so am I. pic.twitter.com/I5HLE0qbPs

- Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) January 20, 2021

An ode to "united America"

A child prodigy, she won her first poetry award at age 16, and was crowned the country's "best young poet" three years later while studying sociology at prestigious Harvard University.

Before her, five other poets, including Robert Frost and Maya Angelou, attended the investiture ceremonies of US presidents, but none were so young.

According to the American press, his name was whispered to the organizers of the ceremony by Jill Biden, the wife of the 46th president, who had attended one of his readings.

Their order, placed in December: that she write an ode to "United America", echoing the speech of the Democrat.

His text bends to it, without denying the challenges of the present.

"We're going to turn this wounded world into another, wonderful one."

“There is always light if we're brave enough to see it. If only we were brave enough to be.”

With AFP

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