Amanda Gorman
Il y a quelques semaines, la poétesse Amanda Gorman était relativement peu connue. Mais la lecture de son poème, The Hill We Climb, un hymne fédérateur pour une Amérique divisée, a ému le monde entier lors de l’inauguration de Joe Biden. Découvrez l’ascension fulgurante de cette jeune artiste d’à peine 22 ans.
Early life
Born in 1998, 22-year-old Amanda Gorman is the youngest poet to have performed at a presidential inauguration. Raised by her mother in Los Angeles, she attended Harvard, graduating in Sociology.
to perform se produire (sur scène) / inauguration (cérémonie d’) investiture (du président des É.U.) / to raise ici, élever / to attend fréquenter (établissement), suivre des cours / to graduate obtenir son diplôme.
Why did Joe Biden choose her?
Gorman was the first recipient of the National Youth Poet Laureate in 2017 – an award attributed to a young person producing remarkable poetry/spoken word. She is also famous for her activism, having worked with a variety of non-profit organisations focusing on issues such as feminism, race and marginalisation. Jill Biden knew of her, and recommended her to the President.
recipient ici, lauréat(e) / award prix / remarkable incroyable, extraordinaire / activism militantisme / non-profit à but non lucratif / to focus on (se) concentrer sur / issue problème, question.
Poetry is back in fashion!
A poet is always invited to recite a poem at the presidential inauguration. But Gorman’s piece was extremely successful and highly praised by the press. The day after the inauguration, her two upcoming poetry books topped the Amazon best seller list. A proof that poetry can still be modern and relevant!
in fashion à la mode / to praise applaudir (fig.) / upcoming à venir / to top arriver en tête de / best seller meilleur vente / proof preuve / relevant pertinent.
The Hill We Climb
Here are a few extracts from the poem she performed at the inauguration ceremony, The Hill We Climb. It is an ode to a divided, yet hopeful and strong America, and an encouragement for American people to come together.
“But in all the bridges we’ve made, that is the promise to glade, the hill we climb. If only we dare. It’s because being American is more than a pride we inherit, it’s the past we step into and how we repair it. … We will not march back to what was, but move to what shall be. A country that is bruised but whole, benevolent but bold, fierce and free. … For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.”
hill colline / to climb gravir / bridge pont / to glade créer une clairière / to dare oser / pride fierté / to step into pénétrer/entrer dans / bruised blessé, meurtri / whole entier; ici, uni / benevolent bienveillant / bold audacieux / brave courageux, audacieux.
President Gorman?
Gorman’s ambition doesn’t stop with poetry; she wants to run for President in 2036, as soon as she reaches the legal age of 35. She alluded to this ambition in her inauguration poem, as a symbol of what America has achieved as a country:
“We the successors of a country and a time where a skinny Black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president only to find herself reciting for one.”
to run, ran, run for être candidat à (élection) / to reach atteindre / to allude faire allusion / to achieve accomplir / time époque, période / skinny maigrichon / slave esclave / single célibataire.