James Franco commissioned to write poem for President Obama’s inauguration (Video)

James Franco continues to prove that he can do anything he puts his mind to. He’s an author, movie star, producer and director and now he’s testing his talents as a poet. Franco was commissioned to write his own poem for President Obama’s second inauguration.

Yahoo commissioned poems from several of the most well-known poets working today, including Pulitzer Prize winners, James Tate and Paul Muldoon. Japanese-American poet Brenda Shaughnessy and Kevin Young were also asked. To “add glamor,” as Yahoo put it, they asked Franco to contribute. He has a poetry book due out soon from Graywolf Press.

Franco, who is currently at the Sundance Film Festival, filmed himself reciting the poem in front of a bleak background. His poem is titled Obama in Asheville.

In it, Franco writes about meeting Obama at the Correspondents Dinner.

“He knew me from Spider-Man. I asked him for advice/I was scheduled to give the commencement speech at UCLA/And there were some undergraduate knockers against me,” Franco writes. “He had been denied the usual honorary degree by Arizona State.”

“Because he hadn’t accomplished enough, so I wondered/How he dealt with detractors. He smiled his smile and said/‘Humor.’ Well he’s damn right, and I wonder how much/That stand-up comedian is laughing in the face,” he continued.

You can listen to Franco’s poem here:

Richard Blanco was chosen as the official inaugural poet, reading “One Today,” notes ABC News. The 44-year-old poet wrote about the American experience.