U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) served up a bright spot Thursday during confirmation hearings for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson --- a tribute that included references to a Langston Hughes (left) poem, "Let America Be America Again."
This is a poem about potential, not reality; a potential recognized but not yet fully realized by those outside the white, heterosexual, male-dominated circle where American mythology has been formed.
So I listened to Booker's presentation again this morning, then followed that up by reading this piece from National Public Radio headlined, "The history behind the Langston Hughes poem used in the Ketanji Brown Jackson hearing." And finally, I followed this link to the poem itself.
The steel of freedom does not stain.
From those who live like leeches on the people’s lives,
We must take back our land again,
America!
O, yes,
I say it plain,
America never was America to me,
And yet I swear this oath—
America will be!
1 comment:
My husband and I enjoyed visiting with Cory Booker when he was in Creston during the time he was running for president. His ability to work with both parties in the Senate, his background and and what he accomplished during his time as mayor or Newark, NJ would have been assets if he had continued to run for president.
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