Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco Gives Poetry Reading at Saint Andrew’s

Over 70 Upper School students had the unique opportunity to attend a poetry reading given by U.S. Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco on Thursday, March 7, in the Cohen Auditorium. 

Blanco, known for his poem "One Day" written for President Obama's inauguration in 2013, explored themes of identity, belonging, and the idea of home in his poems. He shared five poems, including "One Day" with the students.

Blanco also made time to answer questions about his writing process and creativity. In addition, Alexa Rubinstein, a senior, interviewed him for the Bagpiper. 

This special visit was made possible by the collaboration between Upper School English faculty Phyllis Merrill and the Festival of the Arts Boca.

“It is rare that our students get to meet the author behind the essays, novels, or poems that we study in school. For our students who attended his poetry reading, they were able to catch a glimpse into the life of Richard Blanco and understand how he crafted his life experiences to create such beautifully moving poetry. His poetry reading also makes the study of poetry in our classes more relevant and should make us curious about what events in a poet's or any author’s life inspired the piece of literature. Additionally, we came to understand that the quest for home and belonging is an ongoing process throughout our lives. We are thankful that he shared these experiences with us through his poetry,” said Merrill.