"Praise Song for the Day: A Poem for Barack Obama's Presidential Inauguration,"

While plying their art in front of millions of viewers was nothing new for Itzhak Perlman or Yo-Yo Ma, it must have been more than a tad unsettling for Elizabeth Alexander, the inaugural poetess. And while Rick Warren was the controversial choice for the day's events, Ms. Alexander's selection also led to conflicting anticipations.