Today marks the day when one of the greatest literary voices of our time went silent. Dr. Maya Angelou passed away today. She was 86 years old. I have been a fan of her poetry since I was introduced to her work in high school. She was a wordsmith. The way she crafted her poems was intriguing. Her awesome quotes are still being repeated to this day. My favorite is “The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them!” She showed us that she embodied a wisdom beyond her years. I’m so glad that God allowed her to share her talent with the world. She will be missed dearly but her words and her legacy shall live on forever.
Dr. Maya Angelou, A Phenomenal Woman Indeed
April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014
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.
