Richard Blanco

#FlashbackFriday to reflections on the power of poetry in civic discourse: Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” and one of my favorite quotes by President John F. Kennedy:

“When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the area of man’s concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.”

These ideas continue to inspire me today, just as they did when I wrote the inaugural poem, “One Today.”

*COMING SOON: *The Year of Writing with Richard Blanco,* kick-starts with “The Poetics of Protest” in January 2026. Keep an eye on my Workshops page for updates and registration details.

This video was produced by the JFK Library Foundation and the American Writers Museum.

A magical night with the creative team of “Waiting for Snow in Havana,” a musical in development that I am working on as co-lyricist. We shared demos of several songs, talked about the creative process, and next steps as we continue development. The musical is an adaptation of Carlos Eire’s memoir (by the same name) about his childhood in Cuba and separation from his parents through Operation Pedro Pan, a clandestine exodus of over 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban minors to the United States from 1960 to 1962. A tragic yet triumphant story about family, love, and the meaning of home.

Here’s the link to the demo song “Don’t Let Go,” sung by the main character, Carlos, to his 11-year-old self. In the song, he urges his younger self to hold on to his childhood innocence—soon to be lost when he must leave Cuba without his parents.

Last week, I read poems on the lawn of the historic Longfellow House. I left with a renewed sense of hope for humanity — inspired by all who shared the space and placed their faith in words, in a shared vision of the America we know, and are still fighting to become.