On the Pulse of Morning

“On the Pulse of Morning” (1993) is a free verse spoken word poem by American poet Maya Angelou. Angelou wrote the poem for the first inauguration of President Bill Clinton in 1993. In reading a poem, Angelou became the second poet ever to perform at a presidential inauguration (after Robert Frost for John F. Kennedy’s 1961 inauguration) and the first woman and person of color to read at an inauguration.

“On the Pulse of Morning” is a metaphorical poem that focuses on uniting the American people and looking forward to a hopeful future. But while the poem is forward-looking, it also considers the injustices of the past and calls for recognition of those who have been oppressed in American history. The poem uses various natural images to convey this message, and it also includes anti-war, economic equality, and environmentalist messages. The poem is immensely popular and helped cement Angelou’s popularity with the American public. While her performance of the poem and the poem’s message have been universally praised, the poem itself has received mixed reviews. Despite this, it remains one of the most popular poems of Angelou’s career.

Poet Biography

Maya Angelou, born Marguerite Annie Johnson, was born in St.