Photo by Mark Zimmerman/
The Edmond Sun
Stressing themes of family, faith, character and bipartisan cooperation, Governor Brad Henry formally kicked off his new administration Jan. 13, taking the oath of office and delivering his inaugural address to a crowd of thousands of onlookers at the State Capitol.
Inaugural Address for Governor Brad Henry
Fellow Oklahomans and friends:
Last year, I began a journey across Oklahoma – an Oklahoma rich in history and tradition, and in decent and honorable people who enhance the legacy of our great state by their hard work and good deeds.
My initial journey into the heart of Oklahoma has come to an end. Another journey begins today. I am honored and humbled to stand before you as your Governor.
President John F. Kennedy often observed that the Chinese character translated as "crisis" is formed by two symbols - one meaning “danger" and the other meaning "opportunity."
Read the entire Inaugural Address
Inaugural Poem - Written specifically for Governor Henry's Inauguration by Oklahoma native N. Scott Momaday, poet and Pulitzer Prize winning novelist.
Inaugural Press Releases
January 13, 2003 - Governor Henry Delivers Upbeat Address, Stresses Bipartisanship
January 03, 2003 - Inaugural Committee for Gov.-elect Henry Announces Events
Inaugural Poem
They say
They say there was Raven
They say there was Raven, his talons in the sun
And light splashed upon the stones
They say the cold informed it It could not be broken
But they say the light fell from Raven’s hands
Light was shattered and rang upon the stones
And then the cold, luminous shards of light could be heard
Ringing and popping in the six directions
Light broke upon the darkness even as
Words broke upon the silence
First light, first words
And that was that, they say
The sound and sight of origin
The north and night of origin, and all became
They say
And it was made sacred in the saying
They say
Schist
Seal
Mica
Salmon, the dawn
We praise the Raven
We fear the Raven
We revere the Raven
For his knowing
For his guile
From the ice where Raven flies
From the North, where silence lies
There came the people with dogs
Long ago, when dogs could talk
There came the people with fire
Long ago, when fire could freeze
There came the people with words
Long ago, when words were omnipotent
There came the people with words
And of the words they made a story
Long ago
According to the story
The people followed the sun
The people prayed to the sun
The people danced to the sun
The people made a pilgrimage
Along the path of the sun.
The pilgrimage came to this
The sun dancing came to this
The destiny of the people came to this
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is the name of the sun’s house
Oklahoma is the name of ancient quests
Oklahoma is the name of a great destiny
Others came
Others came upon the rolling plains
They bore books and learning
They bore the Word of God
They bore the machinery of nationhood
Now we come in our turn
Now we come to a new destiny
Now we come to a new consecration of this holy place
Now we come in our turn
To stand on this ground between our forebears and our children
To build understanding on what has been
To build greatness on what will be.
--N. Scott Momaday