Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou(A must read poem)

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beguiling

@beguiling

Sparkler

Posted: 11 years ago

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,u
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.u
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.

-Maya Angelou

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antiquegold

@antiquegold

Voyager

+ 2

Posted: 11 years ago

And thats why she is who she is 👏

Thank you for sharing this!

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beguiling

@beguiling

Sparkler

Posted: 11 years ago

Originally posted by: Oldestfan
And thats why she is who she is👏
Thank you for sharing this!

Most Welcome :)

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...Binish...

@...Binish...

Voyager

Posted: 11 years ago

I read this poem in my American literature module. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of her poems. I love Maya Angelou as a marvelous poetess. Let me share another wonderful poem by her. It's a beautiful read,

Still I Rise

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?

Why are you beset with gloom?

'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells

Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,

With the certainty of tides,

Just like hopes springing high,

Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and 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've got gold mines

Diggin' in my own back yard.

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'll 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 of the huts of 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 ancestors gave,

I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

I rise

I rise.

Quote

beguiling

@beguiling

Sparkler

Posted: 11 years ago

Originally posted by: ...Binish...
I read this poem in my American literature module. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of her poems. I love Maya Angelou as a marvelous poetess. Let me share another wonderful poem by her. It's a beautiful read,

Still I Rise

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I'll rise.



Does my sassiness upset you?

Why are you beset with gloom?

'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells

Pumping in my living room.



Just like moons and like suns,

With the certainty of tides,

Just like hopes springing high,

 Still I'll rise.



Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and 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've got gold mines

Diggin' in my own back yard.



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'll 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 of the huts of 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 ancestors gave,

I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

 I rise



 I rise

 I rise.

Unfortunately, I did not have any of Maya Angelou's poems in my literature module whole of my school life :(

Only came across her poems on internet two days ago. Such a coincidence it is that apart from PW, 'Still I Rise' is the only other poem of hers that I read :)

Quote

antiquegold

@antiquegold

Voyager

+ 2

Posted: 11 years ago

Originally posted by: ...Binish...
I read this poem in my American literature module. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of her poems. I love Maya Angelou as a marvelous poetess. Let me share another wonderful poem by her. It's a beautiful read,

Still I Rise

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?

Why are you beset with gloom?

'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells

Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,

With the certainty of tides,

Just like hopes springing high,

Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and 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've got gold mines

Diggin' in my own back yard.

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'll 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 of the huts of 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 ancestors gave,

I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

I rise

I rise

I rise.

Holy Moly!

Now that is a sunday special!

Quote

...Binish...

@...Binish...

Voyager

Posted: 11 years ago

@Nikita_Smith, I read almost all of her poems. Our teacher of American literature too liked her poems so much. He taught us 6 or 7 of her poems in class but suggested to read others too so I read others out of my own interest.

Edited by ...Binish... - 11 years ago