One of my less treasured memories is of a State of the Union address, or possibly a presidential inauguration, at which a Nobel Laureate got up and read, in a terribly solemn voice, some politically correct screed about what a wonderfully inclusive nation we all were—“The African-Americans, the Ethiopians, the Etruscans”, or something like that.
Could that be this one? It was indeed read at Bill Clinton’s 1993 inauguration, by Maya Angelou (video), who is neither a Nobel Laureate nor (as I originally thought you might have meant) a US Poet Laureate, but, although I can’t really figure out what this poem is about, it does sound a lot like the one you mentioned. (”...the Asian, the Hispanic, the Jew, / The African and Native American, the Sioux, / The Catholic, the Muslim, the French, the Greek, / The Irish, the Rabbi, the Priest, the Sheikh...” Then I think they all walk into a bar.)
(No Etruscans there, but I don’t think there are a lot of them about anymore.)
the Greek, / The Irish, the Rabbi, the Priest, the Sheikh...
Aghhhh!!! A sheikh is a ruler, not an ethnic group, or a religious minister, so it doesn’t fit with either list. And sheikh is pronounced like “shake”; it doesn’t rhyme with “Greek”.
But that example definitely belongs in the list of “awful art we’re supposed to pretend to like for signaling reasons”...
Unlikely, it seems that that’s the wording according found in multiple hard copy sources according to Google Books. See for example this magazine article All the online copies (and there are many) have the word “Sheikh” there.
A Google search for “The Irish, the Rabbi, the Priest, the Sikh” turns up no hits from a Google search which means that all online copies would have the poem this way. This seems unlikely for a transcription error.
(Incidentally, apparently the correct title of the poem is “On the Pulse of Morning” although many websites list the title as “The Rock Cries Out to Us Today”)
Could that be this one? It was indeed read at Bill Clinton’s 1993 inauguration, by Maya Angelou (video), who is neither a Nobel Laureate nor (as I originally thought you might have meant) a US Poet Laureate, but, although I can’t really figure out what this poem is about, it does sound a lot like the one you mentioned. (”...the Asian, the Hispanic, the Jew, / The African and Native American, the Sioux, / The Catholic, the Muslim, the French, the Greek, / The Irish, the Rabbi, the Priest, the Sheikh...” Then I think they all walk into a bar.)
(No Etruscans there, but I don’t think there are a lot of them about anymore.)
Aghhhh!!! A sheikh is a ruler, not an ethnic group, or a religious minister, so it doesn’t fit with either list. And sheikh is pronounced like “shake”; it doesn’t rhyme with “Greek”.
But that example definitely belongs in the list of “awful art we’re supposed to pretend to like for signaling reasons”...
Could it be a mistranscription? “Sikh” would make sense in context.
ETA: Guess not. I just listened to the YouTube clip. As ata says, she definitely pronounces an initial “sh” sound.
ETA2: Maybe she said “the chic”, out of solidarity with those ridiculed for being too stylish.
Unlikely, it seems that that’s the wording according found in multiple hard copy sources according to Google Books. See for example this magazine article All the online copies (and there are many) have the word “Sheikh” there.
A Google search for “The Irish, the Rabbi, the Priest, the Sikh” turns up no hits from a Google search which means that all online copies would have the poem this way. This seems unlikely for a transcription error.
(Incidentally, apparently the correct title of the poem is “On the Pulse of Morning” although many websites list the title as “The Rock Cries Out to Us Today”)
It sounds more like a “sh” in the video (around 3:10).
Yes, that would make a lot of sense. Good point!
It was a beautiful theory, but it was wrong :). She definitely pronounces an “sh” sound.
ETA: Maybe she said “chic” . . .
ETA: Guess not. I just listened to the YouTube clip. As ata says, she definitely pronounces an initial “sh” sound.
Seems highly likely.