Maya Angelou by hlee105

On The Pulse Of Morning Maya Angelou

All right reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canadaby Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.

This poem was originally published in a softcover edition by Random House, Inc., New York, in February 1993.

ISBN 0-679_42894_I

Manufactured in the United States of America

24689753

Read by the poet at the Inauguration of William Jefferson Clinton 20 January 1993

A Rock, A River, A Tree

Hosts to species long since departed, marked the mastodon,

The dinosaur, who left dried tokens of their sojourn here on our planet floor,

Any broad alarm of their hastening doom

Is lost in the gloom of dust and ages.

But today, the Rock cries out to us,

Clearly, Forcefully.

Come, you may stand upon my back and face your distant destiny,

But seek no haven in my shadow, I will give you no hiding place down here.

Your mouths spilling words armed for slaughter.

You, Created only a little lower than the angels, Have crouched too long in the bruising darkness Have lain too long facedown in ignorance, 7

The Rock cries out to us today,

You may stand upon me; But do not hide your face.

Across the wall of the world. A River sings a beautiful song. It says, come, rest here by my side

Each of you, a bordered country, delicate and strangely made proud, yet thrusting perpetuall under siege.

Your armed struggles for profit have left collars of water upon my shore, currents of debris upon my breast.

Yet today I call you to my riverside,

If you will study war no more. 10

Come, Clad in peace, and I will sing the songs the Creator gave to me when I and the Tree and the Rock were one.

Before cynicism was a bloody scar across your brow and when you yet knew you still knew nothing.

The River sang and sings on.

There is a true yearning to respond to the singing River and the wise Rock.

So say

The Asian, the Hispanic, the Jew, the African, the Native American, the Sioux, the Catholic, the Muslim, the French, the Greek, the Irish,

The Rabbi, the Priest, the Sheik, the Gay, the Straight, the Preacher, the privileged, the homeless, the Teacher.

They hear. They all hear the speaking of the Tree. They can hear the first and last of every Tree Speak to humankind today.

Come to me, Here beside the River. Plant yourself beside the River.

Each of you,

Descendant of some passed-on traveler, has been paid for.

You, who gave me my first name, you, Pawnee, Apache, Seneca, you Cherokee Nation, who rested with me,

Then forced on bloody feet,

Left me to the employment of other seekers __ desperate for the gain,

Starving for gold.

You, The Turk, the Arab, the Swede, the German, the Eskimo, the Scot, the Italian, the Hungarian, the Pole, You, The Ashanti, the Yoruba, the Kru,

Bought, Sold, Stolen,

Arriving on a nightmare Praying for a dream.

Here,

Root yourselves beside me. I am that Tree planted by the River, Which will not be moved.

I, the Rock, I, the River, I, the Tree

I am yours your passages have been paid.

Lift up your faces,

You have a piercing need for this bright morning dawning for you,

History, Despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, But if faced with courage, need not be lived again.

Lift up your eyes upon this day breaking for you. Give birth again To the dream

Women, children, men, Take it into the palms of your hands,

Mold it into the shape of your most private need. Sculpt it into the image of your most public self.

Lift up your hearts

Each new hour holds new chances for a new beginning. Do not be wedded forever

To fear, yoked eternally To brutishness.

The horizon leans forward, offering you space To place new steps of change

Here, on the pulse of this fine day

You may have the courage to look up and out and upon me,

The Rock, The River, The Tree, Your country.

No less to the Midas than the mendicant. No less to you now than the mastodon then.

Here, on the pulse of this new day

You may have the grace to look up and out and into your sisterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eyes, and into your brotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face,

Your country,

And say simply, Very simply With hope

Good morning. 40

About the Author Maya Angelou An acclaimed American poet, storyteller, activist, and autobiographer, Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri. Angelou has had a wide variety of careers, but is most famous as a writer, editor, essayist, playwright, and poet. As a civil rights activist, Angelou worked for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

Angelou has published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and was credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years.

About the Type GT America Designed by NoĂŤl Leu, with Seb McLauchlan at Grilli Type

GT America is a Transitional typeface that is the cross between 19th century American Gothics and 20th century European Neo-Grotesk typefaces. It uses the best design features from both traditional types in the widths and weights where they function optimally.

Released in 2016 and available in 84 styles

Photo Appendix p. 1-2, 26 Metzker, Ray. Untitled, Chicago, February 1959 (#1). p. 3 Adams, Ansel. Sand Dunes, Sunrise, Death Valley National Monument, California, 1948 print. Gelatin silver print.

p. 4 Adams, Ansel. White House Ruin, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona, negative 1941, print 1976. Gelatin silver print.

p. 6 Metzker, Ray. Untitled. City Whispers, Los Angeles, negative 1981; print 2006. Gelatin silver print.

p. 7-8 Metzker, Ray. Untitled. City Whispers, Philadelphia, negative 1963, print 1963. Gelatin silver print.

p. 9-10 Metzker, Ray. (77FW60) 1977. Pictus Interruptus, Gelatin silver print. p. 11 Mapplethorpe, Robert. Embrace, 1982. Gelatin silver print.

p. 12 Adams, Ansel. Winter Sunrise. Sierra Nevada from Lone Pine, negative 1944, print 1968. Gelatin silver print.

p. 13-14 Metzker, Ray. Philadelphia, 1963. City Whispers, Gelatin silver print.

p. 15 Adams, Ansel. Water and Foam. Yosemite Valley, negative 1955, print 1960. Gelatin silver print.

p. 25 Metzker, Ray. Photogram #46. Pictus Interruptus, 1998, Gelatin silver print.

p. 27 Metzker, Ray. Philadelphia, 1962. City Whispers, Gelatin Silver print.

p. 28 Metzker, Ray. Lexington-avenue. Gelatin silver print.

p. 29 Metzker, Ray. Philadelphia, 1963. City Whispers, Gelatin silver print.

p. 30 Metzker, Ray. City Square. City Whispers, Philadelphia, 1964. Gelatin silver print.

p. 31 Metzker, Ray. (78Z92) 1978. Pictus Interruptus, Gelatin silver print. p. 31 Metzker, Ray. Philadelphia, 1977. Pictus Interruptus, Gelatin silver print.

p. 32 Metzker, Ray. Philadelphia, 1980. Pictus Interruptus, Gelatin silver print.

p. 33-4 Metzker, Ray. (78AX11) 1978. Pictus Interruptus, Gelatin silver print. p. 35 Metzker, Ray. Chicago Loop, 1957. City Whispers, print 1957. Gelatin silver photograph on mount.

p. 16 Metzker, Ray. Untitled, Chicago, February 1959 (#2), Gelatin silver print.

p. 36 Adams, Ansel. Roots. Foster Gardens, Honolulu, 1948 print. Gelatin silver print.

p. 17, 25 Wolfe, Art. Clay Study 01. Human Canvas Project, 2012.

p. 37 Metzker, Ray. Philadelphia, 1983. City Whispers, Gelatin silver print.

p. 18 Metzker, Ray. Philadelphia, 1966. Composites. Gelatin silver print.

p. 38 Adams, Ansel. Juniper Tree Detail. Sequoia National Park, California, negative 1927. Gelatin silver print.

p. 19-20 Metzker, Ray. Mykonos, Greece. Pictus Interruptus, negative 1979, print 1989, Gelatin silver print.

p. 21 Adams, Ansel. Moon and Half Dome. Yosemite National Park, 1960. Gelatin silver print.

p. 23-4 Metzker, Ray. (77EY24) 1977. Pictus Interruptus. Gelatin silver print.

p. 38 Metzker, Ray. Philadelphia, 1983. City Whispers, Gelatin silver print.

p. 39-40 Metzker, Ray. Philadelphia, 1981. City Whispers, Gelatin silver print.

Designed, printed, and bound by Ha-Won Lee