A beautiful and inspiring collection of poetry by Maya Angelou, author of I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS and ‘a brilliant writer, a fierce friend and a truly phenomenal woman’ (BARACK OBAMA).
‘I write about being a Black American woman, however, I am always talking about what it’s like to be a human being. This is how we are, what makes us laugh, and this is how we fall and how we somehow, amazingly, stand up again’ Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou’s poetry – lyrical and dramatic, exuberant and playful – speaks of love, longing, partings; of Saturday night partying, and the smells and sounds of Southern cities; of freedom and shattered dreams.
‘Her poetry is just as much a part of her autobiography as I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and the volumes that follow.’ Kirkus
‘It is true poetry she is writing . . . it has an innate purity about it, unquenchable dignity’ M. F. K. Fisher
‘I write about being a Black American woman, however, I am always talking about what it’s like to be a human being. This is how we are, what makes us laugh, and this is how we fall and how we somehow, amazingly, stand up again’ Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou’s poetry – lyrical and dramatic, exuberant and playful – speaks of love, longing, partings; of Saturday night partying, and the smells and sounds of Southern cities; of freedom and shattered dreams.
‘Her poetry is just as much a part of her autobiography as I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and the volumes that follow.’ Kirkus
‘It is true poetry she is writing . . . it has an innate purity about it, unquenchable dignity’ M. F. K. Fisher
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Reviews
A brilliant writer, a fierce friend and a truly phenomenal woman
She was important in so many ways. She launched African American women writing in the United States. She was generous to a fault. She had nineteen talents - used ten. And was a real original. There is no duplicate
She moved through the world with unshakeable calm, confidence and a fierce grace . . . She will always be the rainbow in my clouds
The poems and stories she wrote . . . were gifts of wisdom and wit, courage and grace
Angelou was the first poet since Robert Frost to recite work at a presidential inauguration. And Still I Rise is a tribute to determination, from the title poem to the anthemic "Phenomenal Woman", which sounds like something that Beyoncé could set to music