21 October 2011

Poetry Moment

I love Maya Angelou! She just has a way of writing that speaks to my very soul. This is my favorite of her poems. It is so true. We are women and we are amazing and we don't have to be perfectly sized or outfitted or anything else. We are amazing just because we are.

  
  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.

3 comments:

  1. I tend to want my poetry pre 1920s for some reason ;)

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  2. Blodeuedd - I guess you are just a classic kind of gal!

    ReplyDelete
  3. LOVE this poem. LOVE.

    btw: If you're reading in the readathon I hope you're still up and tackling those books! If not, I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

    ReplyDelete

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