Gorman recounts the large political divide that exists within the United States, asking everyone to “lay down our arms so that we can reach out our arms to each other”, stating that no matter what we are and will forever be tied together as long as we are in this country, and that we have endured years of suffering both mental and physical.

The central message is that if there are enough people that are willing to step up and “be the light” for the United States, our country will cross the shadow into the light in no time! The United States Divided Gorman describes the path to get out of darkness as a rigorous and long path, as change does not just occur overnight. She then describes losses in our country as a sea to “wade”, and the atrocious horrors of our country as “the belly of the beast”, explaining everything from the coronavirus to the injustice in regards to race that has taken place in the more recent unrest in the years of our country. If events like this continue to occur, the shade will continue to keep expanding, therefore causing the United States to remain more and more distant from the light. As stated previously, Gorman describes terrible moments in our country as “shade or shadows” that expand, keeping our country from reaching the light, as we are stuck in an expanding shadow. We’ve braved the belly of the beast” (Gorman, 1-20). She states: “when day comes we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade? The loss we carry, a sea we must wade. She then challenges her readers to be audacious enough to not only see the incoming light, but to be the incoming light for the United States. Darkness and LightĮven though our country is heading towards light, Gorman states that not everyone is able to see it yet. Gorman describes our country as a place in darkness: slowly, but surely reaching the shadow towards the light. She then moves on to cover our more recent history, such as the murder of George Floyd she associates these moments in history with “shade”. Though it is clearly a country with many issues, it is not a defeated country, but a country that is still on its way to becoming the powerful oratory that it claims to be! In the onset of the poem, Gorman covers America’s broad history in regards to the struggle for equal rights for all people. What I find so interesting is how Amanda Gorman views the United States. Gorman argues that the United States is a place that has the grit to struggle, therefore exposing readers to allusion to contemporary society within the United States. To find light in darkness the idea that change is hard work, but is always possible, is the foundation of the poem.

During the presidential inauguration of Joe Biden on January 20th, 2021, Amanda Gorman performed her poem “The Hill We Climb”.

Amanda gorman's poem the hill we climb