So how's this for a change: our new Poet Laureate is a Mexican-American, who opened and closed his inaugural reading with standing ovations, called out his 3rd grade teacher (in the front row) for once telling him he had a beautiful voice, played a recording of Pablo Neruda (my all-time favorite) reciting The Heights of Macchu Picchu, and narrated a haunting corrido for Sandra Bland. In other words, Juan Felipe Herrera brought gratitude, diversity, empathy, and love to this stage and to this audience. Change is a beautiful thing.

Being a D.C. cog can numb one's soul, but this night was an extraordinary exception.