A Tribute to Dr. Maya Angelou — a Renaissance Woman and Cultural Pioneer

For a woman in America, Dr. Maya Angelou gave us inspiration. For a black woman in America, Dr. Angelou restored our hope.

Today, the phenomenal Dr. Maya Angelou passed away. However, through her words of wisdom and exquisite literary masterpieces she will live on within our hearts forever.

She helped me understand that adversity doesn’t make a person a victim; instead, it helps the person recognize true victory and the essence of life.

No matter what difficulties we experience in our past, we can still live on and love, don’t let hardship kill your spirit. She was a brilliant woman who I greatly respected. Below is the first poem of written by Dr. Angelou that I memorized. She made be feel proud to be born a woman.

The life she lived reminds me to write my own story and never allow others to determine my greatness. RIP peace phenomenal woman, dead at 86.

 

Dr. Maya Angelou American Poet Laureate

PHENOMENAL WOMEN

BY 

Maya Angelou 

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. 

 
Sources:
Youtube Video from Brennen Bliss retrieved May 28, 2014  http://youtu.be/3_inC5qF-F4
Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou retrieved May 28, 2014 http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/phenomenal-woman/
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