| 100% | PULSE | 5 | "On the ___ of Morning," poem written and read by Maya Angelou at Bill Clinton's Presidential inauguration |
| 48% | ANGELOU | 7 | Poet Maya who read "On the Pulse of Morning" at Bill Clinton's first inauguration |
| 43% | MAYAANGELOU | 11 | Poet who read "On the Pulse of Morning" at Bill Clinton's first inauguration (2 wds.) |
| 42% | MAYA | 4 | Angelou who read "On the Pulse of Morning" at President Clinton's first inauguration in '93 |
| 36% | ANGELOU | 7 | She recited her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" at Clinton's first inauguration |
| 36% | MAYAANGELOU | 11 | Poet who read "On the Pulse of Morning" at President Clinton's 1993 inauguration: 2 wds. |
| 35% | STILLIRISE | 10 | Maya Angelou poem often read on Juneteenth ... and a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 29% | MAYA | 4 | Poet Angelou who spoke at Bill Clinton's first inauguration |
| 29% | SYNE | 4 | "Auld Lang ___," poem written by Robert Burns and sung on New Year's Eve |
| 29% | SONG | 4 | "Morning ___," poem by Sylvia Plath written in 1961 about an artist's freedom of expression which was included in the collection, "Ariel" |
| 28% | ROSAPARKS | 9 | Bill Clinton awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom |
| 28% | PULSE | 5 | "On the ___ of Morning" (Angelou poem) |
| 28% | MARILYNHORNE | 12 | Opera singer who performed at Clinton's 1993 inauguration and received the National Medal of Arts in 1992: 2 wds. |
| 28% | STAR | 4 | Maya Angelou has one on the St. Louis Walk of Fame |
| 27% | JONG | 4 | Author whose best-known work begins "There were 117 psychoanalysts on the Pan Am flight to Vienna and I'd been treated by at least six of them" |
| 27% | LITERATE | 8 | Having the knowledge of reading and writing |
| 27% | ERICIDLE | 8 | Who wrote and sang "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" |
| 26% | TREASUREMAP | 11 | Pirate's guide that's hinted at phonetically by the starts of 17-, 29- and 44-Across |
| 26% | ADONAIS | 7 | 1821 elegy on the death of John Keats written by Percy Bysshe Shelley |
| 26% | ASHE | 4 | Tennis pro awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Clinton |
| 26% | SAX | 3 | Bill Clinton's is displayed at the Smithsonian, for short |
| 26% | ODE | 3 | Type of poem written by Keats and Shelley |
| 26% | ODES | 4 | Type of poems written by Keats and Shelley |
| 26% | NEUTRALTONES | 12 | 1867 melancholic poem written by Thomas Hardy about the end of a relationship: 2 wds. |
| 26% | LES | 3 | Bill Clinton's Secretary of Defense of the early nineties, ___ Aspin |
| 25% | ELLIOTACKERMAN | 14 | U.S. Marine Corps veteran who wrote the war novels "Green on Blue" and "Dark at the Crossings" (2 wds.) |
| 25% | MARYPOPPINS | 11 | Musical based on children's books by P.L. Travers and 1964 Disney film of the same name: 2 wds. |
| 25% | AUDRELORDE | 10 | Poet on the National LGBTQ Wall of Honor whose poems include "Coal" and "Power": 2 wds. |
| 25% | NYE | 3 | TV scientist Bill who wrote "Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation" |
| 25% | NYE | 3 | Science guy Bill who wrote "Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation" |