One Today

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 2013

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Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Symbols & Motifs

Natural Objects

The teeming, diverse, yet unified life of the US is presented within the wider context of the natural objects or phenomena that make up the world we live in: the sun, moon, ground, wind, and sky. These are presented symbolically, in that they represent an idea beyond their literal meaning. Each object or natural force has its own function but also symbolizes unity. For example, there is only one sun, one sky under which we live, one ground on which we tread, and so on. The natural environment thus symbolizes the ideal of a unified country.

Gratitude

Gratitude is implied as a motif throughout this optimistic poem, right from when the sun rises and sends its rays of light everywhere across the US. It becomes more prominent in the penultimate stanza, in the context of the recurring image of the sky. People look up to the sky to express gratitude for love received and also in praise of a loving mother, as well as in understanding and forgiveness of a father, “who couldn’t give what you wanted” (Line 60). Given the upward glance, this might be seen as a reference to God or religious faith, but the poet avoids making this specific on such a secular occasion as the inauguration of a US president.

Hope

The entire poem brims with a spontaneous belief in the goodness of life in the US, whatever setbacks or tragedies the nation as a whole may encounter. People are hopeful as they go about their day, confident that they fit into the dynamic tapestry of American life. Hope is implied in the reference to how “we keep dreaming” (Line 19)—of our goals, the possibilities for our lives, and the hope we have for the future. The positive side of things is always emphasized. (In this case, it alludes to the inspiring vision of freedom and equal opportunity for all that Martin Luther King, Jr., presented in his “I have a dream” [Line 19] speech in 1963.) Hope is specifically mentioned at the end of the poem in the context of the night sky and the feeling that the US can create a dazzling future for itself, given that everyone works together to create it: “hope—a new constellation / waiting for us to map it, / waiting for us to name it—together” (Lines 67-69).