Today, as all of us in America know, is inauguration day. And, regardless of political and partisan affiliations, today is a day to come together and celebrate our democracy. Because, whether we agree with our country's selection of the president-elect or not, we will have a peaceful transition of power. Nowadays, after 45 presidents, this may seem normal. But back in 1801 when sitting president John Adams was not reelected in favor of his political adversary Thomas Jefferson, the nation was holding its breath and the world waited for us to collapse. But we did not. And today, for the 46th time, we are renewing our resolve to stay united, seemingly against the odds at times.
Plus, as if that is not enough reason to celebrate, the first young poet, former National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, will become the 6th and youngest inaugural poet ever. And, fun fact: she was a WriteGirl! Her poem, "The Hill We Climb", was specifically commissioned for the inauguration and is sure to be a treat to watch. (And it was! The word play, the hand motions, the Maya Angelou bird cage ring!)
But just because the president of the United States didn't personally contact you to write a poem to celebrate today doesn't mean that you can't. This momentous event only comes once every four years, after all. That's not to mention the unique set of circumstances and challenges our country has to overcome. So, today, I challenge you to write something, anything, to mark the occasion. It could be a six word story, a poem, a creative nonfiction piece, a book idea. And, if you feel so inclined, share it with us in the comments. We could make a fun bout of this :)
