Amanda Gorman's Super Bowl poem honors pandemic heroes

Amanda Gorman is the first poet to perform at the Super Bowl.

The 22-year-old poet, who became the youngest inaugural poet when she performed at President Biden's inauguration last month, honored the three captains chosen to participate in the Super Bowl coin toss this year. In her poem "Chorus of the Captains," Gorman nodded to teacher Marine Corps veteran James Martin, teacher Trimaine Davis, and ICU nurse Suzie Dorner, who all gave back to their community amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"Today we honor our three captains for their actions and impact during a time of uncertainty and need," Gorman recited in a prerecorded segment. "They've taken the lead, exceeding all expectations and limitations, uplifting their communities and neighbors as leaders, healers and educators."

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Martin, a veteran in Pittsburgh, "has felt the wounds of warfare" and supports veterans and at-risk kids in his community. Davis, a Los Angeles teacher, helped secure laptops and other tech to better his students' remote learning experiences. Dorner, a Tampa ICU nurse, works with COVID-19 patients and lost her grandmothers to the pandemic.

Gorman's presence — and the presence of poetry at the Super Bowl — is a "feat for art and our country," the poet wrote in a tweet.

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In a statement, NFL vice president of events strategy Matt Shapiro acknowledged the power of poetry. When the league began planning the Super Bowl back in November, it wanted to pay homage to those who have bettered their communities in wake of the devastating pandemic.

“We knew that in order to honor them properly — and all of those across the country that they represent — we needed the right words that would match the power of that moment, and there’s no one more perfectly suited to bring those words to the world than Amanda Gorman," Shapiro said.

Despite tragedy and struggle, these heroes deserve to be celebrated.

Gorman closed the poem:

"We celebrate them by acting

With courage and compassion,

By doing what is right and just.

For while we honor them today,

It is they who every day honor us."