6 Poems by Amanda Gorman you must read this Women’s History Month (and beyond!)

When it comes to weaving words into masterpieces, Amanda Gorman is an expert. She became America’s youngest inaugural poet at 22 years old when she recited The Hill We Climb at President Joe Biden’s inauguration, but that wasn’t the first–or last–time she made her voice heard. Amanda serves as an example of how we can use our art for advocacy and is an incredible inspiration to young people around the globe who are passionate about changing the world for the better.

Amanda has been invited to perform for Lin-Manuel Miranda, Al Gore, Secretary Hillary Clinton, Malala Yousafzai, just to name a few! She’s taken the stage at huge events like the UN General Assembly, Variety's Power of Women Event, and even the Superbowl. Talk about influential! Not only has she graced many prominent stages and TV screens, but Amanda is also a Harvard graduate and has three books on the way.

So much can be said about Amanda’s achievements, but let’s pick our jaws off the floor real quick and dive into some of our favorite poems from her in celebration of Women’s History Month:

1. "The Hill We Climb"

Amanda wrote and recited this insightful and powerful poem for The Presidential inauguration in 2021 to much awe from the audience and millions of people watching worldwide. In it, she poignantly describes the importance of always seeing the light as a collective so that we can band together as a nation and pull ourselves from a dark place. She bridges the past, present, and future, positioning the current generation of changemakers as key actors in changing the nation for the better. Her words in this poem provided hope during a time of uncertainty with thoughtful prose that captured the moment beautifully.

Our favorite part:

2. "An Ode We Owe"

Addressing climate and equality, Amanda recited "An Ode We Owe" at the 2022 UN General Assembly. Touching on the urgency of the climate crisis, Amanda weaves in words of encouragement to young people, reminding listeners that our environmental advocacy must be future-focused. It’s a nod to how creating a more sustainable future for the planet also means a brighter, more equitable future for those who live on it.

Climate justice is interwoven with racial and economic justice, as communities of color and low-income communities are disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis. Amanda addresses this truth in An Ode We Owe, which we love to see!

Our favorite part:

• Thus may our crisis be our cry, our crossroad,
  The oldest ode we owe each other.
  We chime it, for the climate,
  For our communities.
  We shall respect and protect
  Every part of this planet,
  Hand it to every heart on this earth,
  Until no one’s worth is rendered
  By the race, gender, class, or identity
  They were born. This morn let it be sworn
  That we are one one human kin,
  Grounded not just by the griefs
  We bear, but by the good we begin.

3. "We Rise"

Amanda recited this poem at Variety’s Power of Women event in 2021, where she was an honoree. The resounding message of the poem is to encourage women to use their voices to speak out about the injustices they face. Considering that the 2023 Women’s History Month theme is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” this one is on point. It’s an ode to both the powerful and the vulnerable, calling for women to lift each other up. And we love that!

Our favorite part:

• We push on and act on
  Our responsibility to bring visibility
  To the most vulnerable:
  To bring freedom to those who didn’t have a choice,
  To bring volume to those who are using their voice.
  We clear a woman’s way,
  We don’t fear the day
  She steps into the light
  Because we are with her
  Every step of the fight.

4. "Earthrise"

Another thoughtful piece about climate justice, Amanda’s “Earthrise” is a shorter, punchier poem that shares her hope for a greener future. She read the poem for the environmental advocacy organization, The Climate Reality Project, in 2018. The idea riffed off the famous Earthrise photo from Apollo 8, where you can see the Earth rising over the surface of the moon. In the poem, she describes seeing the Earth from the vantage point of the moon, just a pale blue dot, and how we must protect it at all costs.

Our favorite part:

• And while this is a training,
  in sustaining the future of our planet,
  There is no rehearsal. The time is
  Now
  Now
  Now,
  Because the reversal of harm,
  And protection of a future so universal
  Should be anything but controversial.
  So, earth, pale blue dot
  We will fail you not.

5. "Chorus of the Captains"

Since 2021, Amanda can now write “performing at the Superbowl” on her resume. Pretty sweet! The poem “Chorus of the Captains” honors the three frontline workers chosen to be the game's honorary captains: Florida nurse manager Suzie Dorner, LA educator Trimaine Davis, and Marine veteran James Martin. Amanda’s tremendous words of praise not only recognized the three honorees but extended to all frontline workers who held the country up during the pandemic.

Our favorite part:

• Let us walk with these warriors,
  Charge on with these champions,
  And carry forth the call of our captains!
  We celebrate them by acting
  With courage and compassion,
  By doing what is right and just.
  For while we honor them today,
  It is them who every day honor us

6. "In This Place (An American Lyric)"

Written for the inaugural reading of the US Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith, this poem takes listeners on a journey from the Library of Congress to America herself. The poem goes from Washington, D.C., to Boston, Charlottesville, Lake Michigan, California, and Florida, dropping prose on stories of tragedy, resistance, and hope. The poem closes with a stanza on what it means to “rewrite the nation,” calling on us all to tell our stories and use our voices for change. In this piece, Amanda is personifying the act claiming our democracy in a way that we stan 100%.

Our favorite part:

• There’s a poem in this place—
  a poem in America
  a poet in every American
  who rewrites this nation, who tells
  a story worthy of being told on this minnow of an earth
  to breathe hope into a palimpsest of time—
  a poet in every American
  who sees that our poem penned
  doesn’t mean our poem’s end.

Notice a theme? Amanda never skips a beat on transforming anguish into action. Although she’s been in the game for years already, there’s no stopping Amanda’s brilliant mind from creating more inspiring work. Her poems resonate with anyone whose heart is set on seeing the world change for the better, and I can’t wait to read her books when they come out. Keep up with Amanda Gorman on her website to see what she’s doing next!