Amanda Gorman released her poem A New Day’s Lyric Wednesday on Instagram.
A New Day’s Lyric takes a hopeful look back at the ways being “withered,” and “battered,” by 2021 have “tethered,” us together in search of something “better.”
The best-selling poet-laureate performed the original poem in a short video clip on the platform in an effort to raise money for the efforts of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Meta, the parent company of Instagram, donated $50,000 to the IRC to support Gorman’s initiative.
“Though we weren’t ready for this, we have been readied by this,” she declares through red lips in an empty theater before expressing the importance of finding “a way forward.”
Her words encourage the listener to step beyond their ideas of the ordinary and use “kindness” to explore new avenues. She does not advocate for the shirking of the past but asks us to join together in honoring it.
The video does not only showcase Gorman’s poetry, but her effortless beauty and style. The visual presentation, directed by Kajal and produced by The Genius Club, contains contributions from a variety of creatives, including celebrity hairstylist Malika Palmer and fashion stylist Jason Bolden.
Learn more about the International Rescue Committee here.