The Hill We Climb facts for kids
| by Amanda Gorman | |
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Gorman reciting "The Hill We Climb" at Joe Biden's inauguration
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| Written | December 30, 2020 – January 6, 2021 |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
"The Hill We Climb" is a special kind of poem called spoken word. It was written by an American poet named Amanda Gorman. She read it aloud at the ceremony where Joe Biden became president. This event, called an inauguration, happened in Washington, D.C., on January 20, 2021.
Amanda wrote the poem in the weeks after the 2020 presidential election. She added important parts on January 6, 2021. This was after a difficult event happened at the United States Capitol Building. When she read the poem, Amanda Gorman was only twenty-two years old. This made her the youngest poet ever to read at a presidential inauguration.
The poem was written to encourage "unity and collaboration and togetherness." It also highlighted the many good things the future could hold. "The Hill We Climb" was highly praised. People loved its message, the way it was written, and how Amanda delivered it. Many thought her reading was one of the best parts of the inauguration. Amanda Gorman gained a lot of attention, especially on social media. Two of her upcoming books quickly became best sellers.
Contents
Amanda Gorman's Journey
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Amanda Gorman is a poet from Los Angeles, California. In 2017, when she was 19, she was named the first National Youth Poet Laureate. This is a special title for a young poet.
On January 14, 2021, the group planning Joe Biden's inauguration made an announcement. They said Amanda Gorman would read a poem at the event on January 20. Amanda said she prepared by reading poems from past inaugural poets. These included famous writers like Robert Frost and Maya Angelou. She also studied great speakers such as Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr.. Amanda also talked with Richard Blanco and Elizabeth Alexander. They were two poets who had read at past inaugurations.
How the Poem Was Written
In December 2020, Joe Biden's wife, Jill Biden, asked Amanda to write a poem. Amanda found out she was chosen on December 30, 2020. She was asked to write a poem that fit the inauguration's theme: "America United." She was not given any other specific instructions.
Amanda wrote a few lines each day. The poem was about half-finished when a difficult event happened. On January 6, 2021, people entered the United States Capitol Building. Amanda told The New York Times that she had been finding it hard to finish the poem. She worried if it would be good enough. In an interview, she said that this event made the poem "really come to life." She worked the events of that day into her poem. Amanda finished "The Hill We Climb" on the night of January 6.
Amanda Gorman had a speech impediment when she was a child. She practiced the poem many times before reading it. She wanted to use the poem to call for "unity and collaboration and togetherness."
What the Poem Is About
When day comes, we step out of the shade aflame and unafraid. The new dawn blooms as we free it. For there is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.
"The Hill We Climb" took Amanda Gorman about five minutes to read. It has 723 words. It starts with a question: "When day comes, we ask ourselves where can we find light in this never-ending shade?" The poem then talks about the event at the Capitol. It describes it as "a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it." But it also says that "democracy can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated."
Amanda also spoke about her background. She is descended from slaves. She shared her hopes for the future. She described America as "not broken but simply unfinished." She mentioned the country's past struggles. But she also highlighted the chance for people to come together. In the poem, Amanda Gorman uses many words that start with the same sound, which is called alliteration. She also uses many "reassuring aphorisms," which are short, wise sayings.
The poem includes several references to the musical Hamilton. After the inauguration, the writer of Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda, praised Amanda. She then explained that her poem includes lines from the musical. For example, the line "History has its eyes on us" is like the Hamilton song "History Has Its Eyes on You." The poem also mentions the Bible. It quotes a verse: "that everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid." This verse is also in the Hamilton song "One Last Time."
Publishing the Poem
Soon after the inauguration, a publisher called Penguin Young Readers made an announcement. They planned to print 150,000 hardcover copies of the poem. These copies were set to be released in spring 2021, starting on April 27. The poem was also part of Amanda Gorman's first collection of poetry. This book, also titled The Hill We Climb, was released by Viking Books for Young Readers in September 2021.
The day after the inauguration, two of Amanda Gorman's books became best-sellers. These were Change Sings, a picture book, and The Hill We Climb. They were the top-selling print books on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
See also
