Friday, March 21, 2008

POETRY FRIDAY: Phenomenal Woman


Since March is Women’s History Month, I selected Maya Angelou’s poem Phenomenal Women to post for this Poetry Friday.

Phenomenal Woman
by Maya Angelou

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.

You can read the rest of the poem here.


I’m doing the Poetry Friday Roundup at Wild Rose Reader this week.

4 comments:

Mary Lee said...

I'll pick phenomenal over pretty ANY day!

Anonymous said...

I really wish I had "known" Maya when I was a teenager. I am convinced it would have been an easier time in my life if her words of personal acceptance had been in my life.

Sarah Stevenson said...

What a perfect choice for Women's History Month!

Elaine Magliaro said...

Thanks, Everyone!

I thought it was a good choice for Women's History Month, too! I'd also pick phenomenal over pretty--but I'm a woman. As far as men go--give me a smart man who is good to the people close to him, is honest, and has a great sense of humor and a liberal outlook on life. I don't think that's asking for too much. Actually, I have a man like that!