When day comes, we step out of the shade aflame and unafraid. The new dawn blooms as we free it. For there is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.
Amanda Gorman, "The Hill We Climb"[11]
"The Hill We Climb" took Gorman around five minutes to read[1] and is 723 words long.[12] It begins with the line: "When day comes, we ask ourselves where can we find light in this never-ending shade?" and then describes the storming of the Capitol as "a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it" before stating that, "while democracy can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated." She also spoke about her heritage, being descended from slaves, and her dreams for the future.[1] She described America as "not broken but simply unfinished"[13] and noted its losses but also the opportunity for reconciliation.[6] In the poem Gorman makes use of large amounts of alliteration and "reassuring aphorisms".[14]
The poem has several references to the musical Hamilton.[15][16] After the inauguration, in response to praise from Hamilton playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda, Gorman explained that her poem includes references to the musical; Hillel Italie of The Associated Press wrote that references include the line "History has its eyes on us," which echoes the Hamilton song "History Has Its Eyes on You."[17] The poem also references the Bible, quoting Micah 4:4: "that everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid",[11][18] a verse quoted in the Hamilton song "One Last Time".[19] It also bears some resemblance to a famous discourse by John Winthrop, transforming the "City upon a Hill" into "The Hill We Climb".[20]
