One Today

“One Today” is an inspirational poem by Cuban American poet Richard Blanco. Having been invited to read a poem at the second inauguration of US President Barack Obama at the United States Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 21, 2013, Blanco wrote “One Today” especially for the occasion. It was published in book form as One Today with drawings by Dav Pilkey in 2015. The poem is a celebration of the United States, particularly the unity and diversity of its people. It takes a panoramic look at a typical day in the US from dawn to nightfall as people go about their various occupations. In addition to patriotism, the poem expresses joy, wonder, appreciation, gratitude, and hope for the future, while also mentioning two recent tragedies that shocked the nation. Blanco also finds space to mention himself and his immigrant background (a common theme in his poetry). The poem was well received at the time, and in 2017, the rock band U2 featured it during its Joshua Tree tour of the United States and Europe. “One Today” was one of several poems about the US that were projected onto the stage screens as people entered the stadium for the U2 concert.