Biography:
Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Johnson in St.Louis, Missouri on April 4th, 1928. She grew up in St.Louis and Stamps, Arkansas. She's an author, poet, historian, songwriter, playwright, dancer, stage and screen producer, director, performer, singer, and civil rights activist.She is best known for her autobiographical books such as ....
All Gods Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986)
The Heart of a Woman (1981)
Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas (1976)
Gather Together in My Name (197?)
She's a very talented and gifted poet (etc.) and she will always be known as one of the greatest poets alive.
Favorite Poem:
Phenomenal Woman
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size But when I start to tell them, They think I'm telling lies. I say, It's in the reach of my arms The span of my hips, The stride of my step, The curl of my lips. I'm a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That's me.
I walk into a room Just as cool as you please, And to a man, The fellows stand or Fall down on their knees. Then they swarm around me, A hive of honey bees. I say, It's the fire in my eyes, And the flash of my teeth, The swing in my waist, And the joy in my feet. I'm a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That's me.
Men themselves have wondered What they see in me. They try so much But they can't touch My inner mystery
When I try to show them They say they still can't see. I say, It's in the arch of my back, The sun of my smile, The ride of my breasts, The grace of my style. I'm a woman
Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That's me.
Now you understand Just why my head's not bowed. I don't shout or jump about Or have to talk real loud. When you see me passing It ought to make you proud. I say, It's in the click of my heels, The bend of my hair, the palm of my hand, The need of my care, 'Cause I'm a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That's me.
The reason why this poem is one of my favorite poems written by her is because this poem seems as if it was made to make other women feel good about themselves. It makes women proud to be women and it gives them the confidence to be themselves and allows them to speak their minds more easily. This poem is also my favorite because it brings out the inner-layer of beauty that women have. It makes you see the true beauty in women and their speciality of being what they are.Sure women aren't perfect but this poem can make you feel differently.
Poet's Style:
I think the poet's style in this poem are usually encouragement poems, poems that make each indivisuable feel good about themselves. Her peoms give people courage, confidence, and it makes us proud to be who we are. Maya Angelou poems will always be helpful and unique in many creative ways.
Poet's analysis
Still I Rise
You may write me down in history With you bitter, twisted lies You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I rise
Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? 'Cause I walk like I got oil wells Pumping in my living room
Just like moons and like suns With a certainty of tides, Just like ropes springing high, Still I rise
Do you want to see me broken? Bowed head, lowered eyes? Shoulders falling down like teardrops Weakened by my soulful cries
Does my haughtiness offend you? Don't you take it awful hard 'Cause I laugh like I got gold mines Diggin' in my own backyard
You may shoot me with your words You may cut me with your eyes You may kill me with your hatefulness But still, like air, I rise
Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I've got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs?
Out the hut of my history's shame I rise Up from a past that's rooted in pain I rise I'm a black ocean. Leaping and wide Welling and swelling I bear in the tide Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestor gave And I am the dream and the hope of the slave I rise I rise I rise
In this poem the poet's purpose is to prove to a person who is unjust to her that no matter what they do or say she's going to do what she has to do to get her education and be the best she can be. It's not a good idea to let someone else opinion ruin what you think of yourself. Words do hurt but they can't bring you down to the point where you have no hope in yourself. No matter how bad people may criticize you, you are always going to be a valuable person and this poem gives you the confidence and mental strength to feel that way. To me, I've noticed that most of Maya Angelou poems are poems to make everyone feel good about themselves. Her poems bring out the value in a person that not many people, including yourself, may see in you. Her peoms are perfect for giving yourself confidence to believe in yourself and they're very useful for finding the exceptional things about being YOU. I'll always have respect for Maya Angelou and her magical poems. She's truly a one of a kind poet.
The Great poet
Biography:
Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Johnson in St.Louis, Missouri on April 4th, 1928. She grew up in St.Louis and Stamps, Arkansas. She's an author, poet, historian, songwriter, playwright, dancer, stage and screen producer, director, performer, singer, and civil rights activist.She is best known for her autobiographical books such as ....
All Gods Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986)
The Heart of a Woman (1981)
Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas (1976)
Gather Together in My Name (197?)
She's a very talented and gifted poet (etc.) and she will always be known as one of the greatest poets alive.
Favorite Poem:
Phenomenal Woman
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
The reason why this poem is one of my favorite poems written by her is because this poem seems as if it was made to make other women feel good about themselves. It makes women proud to be women and it gives them the confidence to be themselves and allows them to speak their minds more easily. This poem is also my favorite because it brings out the inner-layer of beauty that women have. It makes you see the true beauty in women and their speciality of being what they are.Sure women aren't perfect but this poem can make you feel differently.
Poet's Style:
I think the poet's style in this poem are usually encouragement poems, poems that make each indivisuable feel good about themselves. Her peoms give people courage, confidence, and it makes us proud to be who we are. Maya Angelou poems will always be helpful and unique in many creative ways.
Poet's analysis
Still I Rise
You may write me down in history
With you bitter, twisted lies
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I rise
Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I got oil wells
Pumping in my living room
Just like moons and like suns
With a certainty of tides,
Just like ropes springing high,
Still I rise
Do you want to see me broken?
Bowed head, lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops
Weakened by my soulful cries
Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I got gold mines
Diggin' in my own backyard
You may shoot me with your words
You may cut me with your eyes
You may kill me with your hatefulness
But still, like air, I rise
Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?
Out the hut of my history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean. Leaping and wide
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestor gave
And I am the dream and the hope of the slave
I rise
I rise
I rise
In this poem the poet's purpose is to prove to a person who is unjust to her that no matter what they do or say she's going to do what she has to do to get her education and be the best she can be. It's not a good idea to let someone else opinion ruin what you think of yourself. Words do hurt but they can't bring you down to the point where you have no hope in yourself. No matter how bad people may criticize you, you are always going to be a valuable person and this poem gives you the confidence and mental strength to feel that way. To me, I've noticed that most of Maya Angelou poems are poems to make everyone feel good about themselves. Her poems bring out the value in a person that not many people, including yourself, may see in you. Her peoms are perfect for giving yourself confidence to believe in yourself and they're very useful for finding the exceptional things about being YOU. I'll always have respect for Maya Angelou and her magical poems. She's truly a one of a kind poet.