Stormy or sunny days, glorious or lonely nights, I maintain an attitude of gratitude. The challenging days of my existence may or may not be bright and promising. The ship of my life may or may not be sailing on calm and amiable seas. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.' - Angelou’s own writing published in 1969.ĥ. Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now, p.11, Bantam. 'You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. 'There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.' - Angelou’s own writing published in 1969Ĥ. Get a little success and then just get a little more.' - Angelou on modesty and women’s success, 2008.ģ. Sometimes young women think ‘Dammnnn, I’ve been doing this nine years and I don’t think anything has budged.' But keep plugging away. I’m just telling a very simple story.' - Angelou’s insights on writing and truth, 1990.Ģ. Not superficial costs-anybody can have that-I mean in truth. And you find out what it costs us to love and to lose, to dare and to fail. It means you take responsibility for the time you take up, for the space you occupy. Inspirational Maya Angelou Funeral Poems. An acclaimed American poet, storyteller, activist, and autobiographer, Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Johnson in St. But to grow up costs the earth, the earth. They honor their credit cards, they find parking spaces, they marry, they have the nerve to have children, but they don’t grow up. Hailed as a Global Renaissance Woman, this best-selling author, educator and civil rights activist used her poetry to inspire and empower. On what would have been her 90th birthday, here are some of Angelou’s inspiring and poetic insights.ġ. Be inspired by the legacy of Maya Angelou. Even when she became physically frail in her older years, her mind was as sharp as ever, “I'm fine as wine in the summertime,” she told a Guardian reporter in 2009. She has also been honored by universities and organizations around the world and has more than 30 honorary degrees owing to her exceptional legacy.Īngelou died in 2014 at the age of 86. Apart from that she also received a Tony Award nomination for her role in the 1973 play 'Look Away,' and three Grammy awards for her spoken-word albums.Īngelou was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by then President Barack Obama in 2011. She was also nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for her volume of poetry titled “Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘fore I Diiie”, which she wrote in 1971. She recited her poem “On the Pulse of Morning” at former President Bill Clinton’s inauguration ceremony in 1993. A giant name in American literature, Angelou’s writing was as devastating as it was incisive, which inspired many people who felt powerless to find the power within them.ĭuring her lifetime, Angelou had a number of achievements. 'Still I Rise' from And Still I Rise: A Book of Poems.American author, poet, and civil rights activist Maya Angelou was born on April 4, 1928, as Marguerite Annie Johnson. I am the dream and the hope of the slave. Still I Riseīringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, God has my back and surrounds me with the most amazing people to keep me rising and it is because I have realised this, I can now walk confidently through life. I am able to stand on my own two feet and create a home for my son as a start.

Due to her parents’ tumultuous marriage and subsequent divorce. On April 4, 1928, Marguerite Ann Johnson, known to the world as Maya Angelou, was born in St. She was best known for her unique and pioneering autobiographical writing style. When I read this poem, I am reminded that despite all this, I still rise. Poet, dancer, singer, activist, and scholar Maya Angelou was a world-famous author. Then of course there is the fact that I am a female and a person of colour working in the corporate world in a country where I am not black enough for some and of course, not white enough for others. I have been looked down upon because I am a single mum and because I am not rich. I have cried my heart out because I had not been invited to events by friends to protect the ego of another who was insecure about me. Whenever I read it, I read it in her voice simply because I love the way she recited it. I love the sassiness of Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise”. Rainbow in the Cloud: The Wisdom and Spirit of Maya Angelou, p.71, Random House 656 Copy quote Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it. Today’s Prompt: What is a song or poem that speaks to you and why?

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