Super Bowl entertainment typically calls to mind booty-shaking and shark costumes. But this year, the planners behind the event are trying something different. Before the coin toss on Super Bowl Sunday, CBS will air a recording of inaugural poet Amanda Gorman reciting a poem honoring everyday heroes. Yes, there will be poetry at the Super Bowl.
The 22-year-old Youth Poet Laureate’s new piece will recognize the work of Trimaine Davis, an LA educator who worked to ensure digital access for his students; Suzie Dorner, the ICU nurse manager at Tampa General Hospital; and James Martin, a Marine Corps veteran who works with the Wounded Warrior Project.
Gorman, who is based in LA, went viral after becoming the youngest inaugural poet in history with the recitation of her work, “The Hill We Climb” The poem garnered her widespread praise (Lin-Manuel Miranda and Stacey Abrams are among her new fans) and spawned thousands of Etsy creations. Gorman herself became a trendsetter: New York recently reported her inauguration day ensemble sparked a 1,328 percent increase in searches for “yellow coat.” She has just been signed to IMG models.
This will be the first time a poet performs at the Super Bowl, but there will still be the typical musical halftime show; the Weeknd will be headlining this year.
Gorman will hopefully return to our area to recite her work again. She was slated to host a poetry reading for Montgomery College on February 2, but it has been postponed indefinitely due to scheduling conflicts. 5,000 people had registered for the event.
Jane is a Chicago transplant who now calls Cleveland Park her home. Before joining Washingtonian, she wrote for Smithsonian Magazine and the Chicago Sun-Times. She is a graduate of Northwestern University, where she studied journalism and opera.
