Poet Richard Blanco has been chosen by President Obama to be the 2013 inaugural poet. He will compose an original poem for the swearing-in ceremony to be held on the Capitol steps January 21. The 44-year-old son of Cuban exiles said he felt a “spiritual connection” with Mr. Obama. Latino and gay, Mr. Blanco “said his affinity for Mr. Obama springs from his own feeling of straddling different worlds.” He has published several collections of poetry, including his first collection City of a Hundred Fires which won a prestigious literary award in 1997, Directions to the Beach of the Dead, and Looking for the Gulf Motel. He is the nation’s fifth inaugural poet, and will be writing his poem based on President Obama’s inaugural theme “Our People, Our Future”. Check out this interesting NYT article.
Laura