Praise song for the day

By Elizabeth Alexander

Poem Meaning:

Doing their tasks and accepting the fact that they had to do things that they didn’t want to do. They are clinging to the idea that hope is coming in the future. The hope is that Obama will help build that bridge to a better future.

Praise song for the day written by Elizabeth Alexander, speaks out on how people living take for granted the past and what others had to do for us to have the freedom we do today. “Say it plain: that many have died for this day” (Stanza 9). At times in this poem, Alexander speaks through the minds of Black or Chinese people that were used as slaves. “Picked the cotton and the lettuce, built brick by brick the glittering edifices they would then keep clean and work inside of” (Stanza 10). Line 1 in stanza 7 states, “I know there is something better down the road”. This line shows the hope people have for the future. There was something better down the road for people who weren’t treated equally. Obama’s inauguration was what many waited for. Obama stood for equality, which is what many waited for. The final line in Praise song for the day, states “praise song for walking forward in the light” (Line 42). That line simply tells readers that things are slowly but surely getting better and things will continue to get better as you continue to walk forward in the light. ‘Forward into the light’ meaning the bright and positive future.