Photos: Elizabeth Alexander’s ‘American Song’ Poetry Tablets
The Cathedral is thrilled to unveil stone tablets inscribed with Elizabeth Alexander's poem, "American Song," to accompany Kerry James Marshall's "Now and Forever" stained-glass windows.
It’s one of the great things about a Cathedral: Even though construction *offically* ended in 1990, there are still new installations and artworks added to the Cathedral all the time, and it’s a fun thing to watch.
You’ll probably remember the “Now and Forever” windows that were installed in 2023, which replaced windows honoring Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. The Lee-Jackson windows were removed in 2017 as part of a lengthy process to wrestle with America’s original sin of racism, the legacy of the Confederacy, the meaning of art in a sacred space and the ongoing fight for racial justice.
As part of the windows replacement, poet and activist Elizabeth Alexander was tapped to write an original poem to accompany the windows, and for the past 12 months a mock-up was displayed in the space while the replacement tablets were carved at the John Stevens Shop in Newport, R.I. The company knows a thing or two about carving stone — they’ve been doing it since 1705.
The limestone tablets arrived at the Cathedral earlier this year, and over the course of several weeks, our talented stone mason team prepped the space for the installation. The job involved demolition of some original stone work to allow the tablets to fit the bay, and the complicated task of transporting, lifting and setting the massive 300-pound limestone tablets.
The project is now complete, and the photo gallery below shows the carving process, installation and the finished product. Special props to our talented stone mason team — Joe Alonso, Sean Callahan, Andy Uhl and Brianna Castelli — for always finding a way to make the big things look easy.
Scroll down for photos. Here is the text of “American Song,” c. 2023 by Elizabeth Alexander.
American Song
Imperfect, in struggle, contested, more
than one voice at a time. Onward, multi –
American song, American psalm.
A single voice raised, then another. We
must tell the truth about our history.
How did we get here and where do we go?
Walk toward freedom. Work toward freedom.
Believe in beloved community.
We are not yet close enough to heaven.
Aspire to song. Aspire to the lift
of voices joined to make a mighty noise.
What are the luminous, sacred words?
Courage, evolve, freedom, community,
truth, trust, love, peace, yes, why, agape.
American song, American prayer.
All of our voices combined into song.
Sing sacred words, true and just.
May this portal be where the light comes in
