Time - USA (2021-03-01)

Amanda

Gorman

22 • MEETING THE

MOMENT

BY LIN-MANUEL

MIRANDA

“What was the poet’s name?”

“Who was that incredible young

woman?”

I’ll never forget hearing

those questions roll through

the audience of the Geffen

Playhouse in 2018 when Amanda

Gorman stepped off the stage.

It was a star-studded Hollywood

fundraiser for arts and education

programs, a night full of boldface

names. But as Amanda delivered

her tightrope-taut verse with

impossible poise, the room was

hers. Sitting in the second row

that night, I became a fan for life.

“Who was that?” “What was

the poet’s name?”

Those questions ricocheted

around the world again on Jan. 20,

when Amanda Gorman delivered

her original poem “The Hill We

Climb,” at President Biden’s

Inauguration. If the hardest

part of an artist’s job is to fully

and honestly meet the moment,

Amanda delivered a master class.

She spoke truth to power and

embodied clear-eyed hope to a

weary nation. She revealed us to

ourselves.

Here’s the best part: there

are so many more moments for

Amanda Gorman to meet.

Now the world knows the

poet’s name.

Miranda is an award-winning

HUSTON: EDGAR BARRERA; TAYLOR-JOY: THE NEW YORK TIMES/REDUX; GORMAN: ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXIS FRANKLIN FOR TIMEcomposer, lyricist and actor

PHOTOGRAPH BY JINGYU LIN