Saturday, September 13, 2008

And Still I Rise

And Still I Rise
Dr. Maya Angelou

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.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, great post. The words are beautiful and uplifting. Did you write this?

rohitkoul.wce@gmail said...

nice poem u(author) seems to be much depressed by some one..
as idea to express was clear

K.M. George said...

Henry,
No I did not write this, Dr. Maya Angelou is the beautiful author to this poem!

Banba said...

Thanks for visiting my blog and for your kind words. I like your blog. I'll link to you from my Minimalistic Lifestyle Blog because I think those readers would really like it.

http://minimalisticlifestyle.blogspot.com

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Anonymous said...

beautiful poem. how do you think promotion and publication of poetry has changed since this was written? Has it had adverse or positive affects on the art of poetry? Just some things to think about.

Rituraj Vyas said...

hey you are a gr8 writer! [even if you haven't written it ;)] .. the words are so well placed & the post is just perfectly composed. I wish you keep blogging, with such innovation.

K.M. George said...

Minimalist-
No problem, and thank you!

Optionshif3-
Thanks for your compliment!

Eric-
I guess it is all in how you look at things. Some people embrace technology and change, others don't! Obviously promotion and publication of any type of written media is constantly changing.

@_raj-
Thanks!