PHENOMENAL WOMAN - THAT'S ME. (The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou - Maya Angelou)

Member Name: PRINCESSPUSSYCAT

Product:	The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou - Maya Angelou
Date:	25/11/07 (215 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Wonderful Collection of inspirational poetry .

Disadvantages: She does not use much of the technical forms or devices of poetry .

***I know why the caged bird sings***



The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou.
------------------------------------------------- --------

For those of you who have not heard of her Maya Angelou is an inspirational poet, and universally acclaimed. She has the ability with her words, to cut through the race, class divide. Her poetry is elegant and fiery, her rhythms are captivating, and her words stunning and poignant. She reaches through to the very soul of the reader. Proud and strong, she tells of the bondage of the black race, of the need to be free, and to be heard. Her poetry is spiritually uplifting, and full of hope. It is also extremely motivational. An example of the trapped spirit of Maya longing for her freedom is to be seen in this Poem. This is one of my favourites. It tells of repression and hope, and is rich in metaphor, you can feel the trapped spirit crying out to be freed.


(These are excepts from the Poems and not the whole poem.)



I know why the caged bird sings.
--------------------------------------

The free bird leaps
On the back of the win
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.


The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.

Maya Angelou.


Maya Angelou is an African American. Born in 1928, she has written five autobiographical books on her life as a black child and woman living and surviving in America during the time of Apartheid. She was to become the first black cable car conductor in San Francisco. In all she has written twelve best sellers. She was raped at the age of eight and was so traumatised by this; she did not speak for four years, except in private to her brother. As a teenager she ran away from home, and lived in a car graveyard inhabited by homeless children.


Nowadays she has been a singer, dancer, actress, playwright, producer, director, honoree professor, broadcaster, and Civil rights activist. She is an incredible force, and one of the great voices of contemporary literature. She is an Inaugurate Poet and addressed her poem to Bill Clinton, and is only the second Poet to read at an Inaugerationin the history of the US. The first time this happened was when Robert frost read his Poem on the Inauguration of John F Kennedy.


I think to understand the poetry; you first need to have an insight into the person who wrote it, and the context in which it was written.


In 'Phenomenal Woman' the poem tells of a woman who is proud and free. She has gained a strength she has fought for, and continues to fight for. It is written with a true confidence in her sense of self, after many years of struggle, In segregated America.



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.

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.

Maya Angelou


And in the final poem I have chosen from this book, she speaks of ongoing courage and strength of character, with a fierce pride, and strong passion for life. It reveals the warrior within this remarkable woman. This is my favourite poem of Mayas.


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.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

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.

Maya Angelou



***My summing up***

This is a wonderful collection of poetry. She writes with a great humor, and has the unique ability to cut to the very core of humanity, with her liberation shining through her words. She writes with outrage, pride and pain. She does not use a lot of the technical form or devises of poetry, but what she does do, is reach through you, to the soul, with the impact of her words. I find her poetry uplifting, easy to read, and with great rhythm. It is strong and hard hitting, yet beautiful and lyrical. This is poetry from a proud, black, liberated woman. It is an extremely moving, and inspirational read.


This collection of poetry is available for the price of 9.99. And is published by Virago.



Thank you for reading.
PRINCESSPUSSYCAT.

Summary: A truly motivational Poet.