Not long after reading her poem “The Hill We Climb” atJoe Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday, 22-year-oldAmanda Gormanbecame a bestseller … and her books aren’t even out yet.
The poet’s three books were also the top sellers onBarnes & Noble’s bestseller listas of Friday.
“I AM ON THE FLOOR MY BOOKS ARE #1 & #2 ON AMAZON AFTER 1 DAY!,” she wrote. “Thank you so much to everyone for supporting me and my words. As Yeats put it: ‘For words alone are certain good: Sing, then’ "
Gorman, the national youth poet laureate, is the youngest poet in memory to read at an inaugural ceremony.
On Wednesday, she delivered her poem - which touched on themes of unity and hope - to commemorate the president and Vice PresidentKamala Harristaking their oaths of office.
“We’ve braved the belly of the beast,” she read. “We’ve learned that quiet isn’t always peace, and the norms and notions of what just is, isn’t always justice. And yet the dawn is ours before we knew it, somehow we do it. Somehow we’ve weathered and witnessed a nation that isn’t broken, but simply unfinished.”
The Harvard University graduate’s poem struck many viewers, includingHamiltoncreatorLin-Manuel Miranda.
In a Thursday appearance onGood Morning America, Miranda surprised Gorman with a video message in which he congratulated her on her show-stopping reading.
“The right words in the right order can change the world, and you proved that yesterday with your brilliant piece. I’m so incredibly proud of you and I can’t wait to see what you write next,” Miranda said. “Keep changing the world, one word at a time. You smashed it!”
“The Hill We Climb” containsa couple of referencestoHamilton, a musical that Gorman toldCNN’s Anderson Cooperhelped her to overcome a speech impediment.
“I would try to keep up with Leslie Odom Jr. as he’s doing this amazing rap, and I’d say, ‘If I can train myself to do this song, then I can train myself to say this letter,’ " she told Cooper. “And so that’s been a huge part of my own speech pathology. It’s why I included it in the inaugural poem.”
Former Secretary of StateHillary Clintonsung Gorman’s praises on Inauguration Day, writing on Twitter, “Wasn’t @TheAmandaGorman’s poem just stunning?” She’s promised to run for president in 2036 and I for one can’t wait.”
WhenRobin Robertsasked onGMAwhether Gorman would indeed consider a run for the presidency someday, she answered without hesitation: “Yes.”
“I was honestly shocked. I had not been expecting that, at 22, they would trust me with such an honor,” Gorman said. “I was also daunted at the same time; I was scared of writing such a poem. I wasn’t sure I could do it justice, but I’m so glad that I put my best foot forward and did it.”
source: people.com
