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MPR News with Angela Davis
Angela Davis and Maja Beckstrom

Can poetry be a force for social change?

Poet Amanda Gorman reads a poem
Poet Amanda Gorman reads a poem during the the inauguration ceremony for President Joe Biden on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20 in Washington.
Patrick Semansky | Pool | Getty Images file

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Amanda Gorman made history as the youngest poet to perform at a presidential inauguration when she read “The Hill We Climb” last month in Washington, D.C. Then the 22-year-old from Los Angeles made history again by bringing poetry to the Super Bowl. 

Gorman’s popularity is attracting widespread attention to a genre known as spoken word or performance poetry, which has deep roots in Black preaching and oratory, and a more recent history in youth poetry slams and hip-hop. 

Poetry is still a niche art form. But the number of people who say they write and read poetry is rising, according to a survey from The National Endowment for the Arts. Interest is growing especially among youth and people of color. 

A side-by-side photo of two women.
Tish Jones (left) is a poet, performer and founding executive director of TruArtSpeaks in St. Paul. Mary Moore Easter is a poet and emerita professor of dance at Carleton College.
Courtesy of Tish Jones and Mary Moore Easter

Host Angela Davis talked to two Minnesota poets about their work and how poetry can explore deeply personal experiences but also reimagine history and be a voice for social justice.

Guests:

  • Tish Jones is a poet, performer and educator in St. Paul. She’s the founder and executive director of TruArtSpeaks. 

  • Mary Moore Easter is professor emerita of dance at Carleton College and the author of several books of poetry, including Free Papers.

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