22-Year-Old Poet Amanda Gorman hails democracy, wows at President Biden's inauguration

Poet Amanda Gorman on Wednesday became a sudden star at age 22 at President Joe Biden's inauguration as she recited verse inspired by the Capitol attack, touching on how democracy "can never be permanently defeated."

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American poet Amanda Gorman reads a poem during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the US Capitol in Washington DC on January 20, 2021. (Photo by Patrick Semansky / POOL / AFP)

2021-01-21 12:50:17

Poet Amanda Gorman on Wednesday became a sudden star at age 22 at President Joe Biden's inauguration as she recited verse inspired by the Capitol attack, touching on how democracy "can never be permanently defeated."

Gorman was the youngest poet to recite at an inauguration, a role first given to Robert Frost by John F. Kennedy in 1961 after First Lady Jill Biden saw one of Gorman's readings and invited her to participate at the Capitol steps.

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