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| Portrait by Sophie Herxheimer for Poetry Foundation. |
I jumped for Joy
with her appointment
her anointment
as poet laureate
her native background
her tone, her sound
her qualities
beyond a baccalaureate
a musician and author
what does she offer?
a box checked
for ancestry
recognition of her poetry
her mastery
ultimate flattery
As a nation
we're diverse
should display
in our verse
different voices
make different choices
honor perspectives
varied objectives
Joins Joseph, Louise,
Robert, Rita, Juan
as firsts, but not lasts
there will be more
in store
for melting cauldron
to remind our children
not all are white
not all are male
but if we fail
to honor our diversity
our history
our mystery
we lose
our sanity
our humanity
So, yes
I jumped for Joy
as we enjoy
the magic
of her
poetic
wisdom
Peter Witt lives in Texas and is a retired professor. His poetry appears on allpoetry.com and has been included in several publications.