Support WBUR

Obama Chooses New England Poet For Inauguration

03:56

January 09, 2013

This undated handout photo provided by the University of Pittsburgh Press shows Richard Blanco. Blanco, 44, the son of Cuban exiles, is the 2013 inaugural poet, joining the ranks of Maya Angelou and Robert Frost. (Nikki Moustaki, University of Pittsburgh Press/AP)

President Obama has chosen the inaugural poet for his second inauguration. Just as John F. Kennedy picked Robert Frost, Obama also chose a New England poet — Richard Blanco.

Blanco currently resides in Bethel, Maine, but grew up Miami, Florida, the son of Cuban exiles.

He is the first Latino, the first gay man and the youngest person (at age 44) to be chosen to read a poem at a presidential inauguration.

Guest:

Richard Blanco, poet

More:

New York Times: Poet's Kinship With The President
Politico: President Obama Poet Richard Blanco's 'Queer Shame' Pain

This segment aired on January 9, 2013.