The Hill We Climb
I know what you’re thinking. My constant references to my life on this hilltop and the fact that I spend a lot of my day exercising on my own personal stairclimber going up and down the hills to work on projects and generally do chores. So, it is not hard to surmise that the hill I climb is covered in dirt and rocks with an occasional succulent to step over. But this morning I am more focused on the inaugural poem by Amanda Gorman, the first National Youth Poet Laureate, a graduate of Harvard University in sociology and a native of Los Angeles. I think its important for us in these early days of the Biden Administration to fully appreciate the six crises that our new President declares that the U.S. faces: the virus, climate change, growing inequality, racism, America’s global standing and the attack on truth and democracy. So, I dissect the poem The Hill We Climb with that set of challenges in mind.
Many of us felt the dark in the waning days of the Trump Administration. Most of us had spent four years wailing at the moon, thinking that first the Mueller Report and then the first Impeachment trial and the numerous exposes of wrong-doing that spewed forth in a regular stream of growing incredulity. What was perhaps more amazing to us was that the political right went beyond accepting (almost universally at times) these wrong-doings, but even went so far as to embrace many of them. This is what drained the light out of our eyes more than anything. Poet Gorman acknowledges the dark, but purposefully begins her poem by recognizing it, but characterizing it as “never-ending shade”. Darkness can be eternal, but shade is, by definition, is merely a temporary blocking of the light, a blocking that can be circumvented by movement. And thus, she says that we can find the light, but need to consider where to look.
The horror of the recent past is assumed and stated. The failure of inaction is declared to be ineffective in bringing peace and justice. But while we have walked through the valley of the shadow of death, we are left with a nation that is far from completed, less than polished. The most obvious shortcomings are the subject of inequality and racism and the most difficult part of that is that these are longstanding failings where progress to correct have been slow and modest. Our country’s greatest strength has been its diversity and yet we have knee-jerked ourselves away from that ideal over and over again. But what was a dark and embarrassing failing that we tried hard in polite company to deny by ignoring it, has now come to the surface and gone so far as to be praised in a fashion by our leadership and the starkest symbol of that intolerance, the Confederate flag, has found itself being brandished in the hallowed halls of the Capitol 155years after that traitorous effort for which it stands fell to the greater power of Union. That is a message of intolerance to our differences which must be set aside to live in the infamy of our troubled past as a nation. The world and Germany itself saw fit to ban Swastikas as symbols of hatred. We should take a lesson from that regarding Dixie.
If I were asked what problem America faces now that troubles me the most, I do not think I will be alone in saying that the divisiveness stands in that most troubling spot. Ms. Gorman wants us to lay down arms and reach out our arms to one another with compassion.It is a noble and righteous objective and as such is a hard standard to which to aspire. Bridge building rather than wall building is the only way up the hill. We all know how close we have just come to the brink of losing what is most dear to our country. We have almost destroyed the greatest democracy that mankind has ever achieved,as imperfect as it has been. This near miss was too close for comfort and still rattles me to think of our Capitol and transition process under siege. I wish it was as easy for me to suggest that democracy can never be permanently defeated as our young poet laureate has done. History does more to support my fear than it does to validate Ms. Gorman’s unbounded faith. But that is the very reason we have young poet laureates and why Ms. Gorman was asked to speak at the inauguration. I can admit that it is in these times when we need more faith and hope than pragmatism, the faith that comes more easily to the young.
The poem captures the optimism needed in this moment of truth. It says so eloquently, “But one thing is certain, if we merge mercy with might, and might with right, then love becomes our legacy, and change our children’s birthright.” That speaks loudly to me as I consider this entirely a battle on behalf of my grandchildren. I believe I could live out my days with blinders and comfort under most circumstances, but I believe that my children’s children need to address those six crises if they are to have the quality of life I feel we have enjoyed.
The strength expressed by Amanda Gorman in her hill climbing poem is the best of Camelot and that bright shining city on a hill. Those images are from great Democrats and great Republicans. They both exist. And I am proud to think that we too live on a righteous hilltop of our own and that we stand strong with those same principles. I can think of no better way to close than with our Young Poet Laureate chose to end her own poem:
“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.”
Be the light and climb the hill.