Still I Rise


- by Maya Angelou

This poem made my evening....


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.

3 comments:

Raj said...

Thought provoking. Looks like her works has had quite a effect

Red Handed said...

Uplifting poem....surely brings a smile and a '' i am so grt'' feeling. I hope u dont mind me reposting it in my blog.

I m new to blogging and i would love you to check it out
www.anuglyhead.blogspot.com
A blog becomes a blog only wen its read. Hope u wud help me with the initial traffic. Much love!

Niranjani Ravi said...

@ Raj & Redhanded

Actually I reposted this one from http://themadmomma.wordpress.com :-)

@ Red Handed - Welcome to blogger! Enjoy the experience

will add ur blog to my list :)