Maya Angelou is a Phenomenal Woman - How About You?

April 11, 2012 - PRLog -- Each of us has our own story. Poetry is a unique way to express your inner voice and in America this is being celebrated now because April is National Poetry Month there. One of America's greatest poets Maya Angelou says, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” She has written many powerful poems including, “Phenomenal Woman.”

Phenomenal Woman

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.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Maya Angelou

In her poem, Phenomenal Woman, Maya Angelou describes her inner beauty and feminine energy as an expression of her physical way of being in the world. The way she looks, the way she moves is phenomenal. She directs her sensory movement. Her beauty is unconventional, yet she is attractive. Her message is clear. Her beauty lies in “her inner mystery.”She accepts and loves herself unconditionally.

Is there something in your life that you feel passionate about? Is there a little voice inside that wants to be heard? It takes courage to write, to have a voice. During April, as a guest author, you have the opportunity to have your voice heard, your story told. You have a chance to share what is important to you and to make a difference.

In recognition of National Poetry Month, we are giving away a free children's e-book, "My Mum and Me." The poem about a child and his mother is set in Yorkshire. Together they discover a special place in the woods where they experience the joy of being in nature.

What’s your message?

What is that voice deep inside you saying?

Is it the beauty you see or perhaps what fills your heart with love?

In your journal write down descriptive words that express an emotion that is close to your heart. Close your eyes and breathe. Be with that emotion that comes up. When you are ready, put the emotive words into context so that they don’t stand alone by using them in a  phrases or sentences. Bring meaning to your writing. For example: the word, "calm," may have meaning when written "Feeling calm and serene I watched the stream gently flow."

With a  clearer understanding of  what is important to you, try writing a poem that comes straight from your heart. You may prefer not to use a rhyming scheme but rather to allow your thoughts to flow. It takes courage to write from the heart and to express what matters to you. All poets have a message. What’s yours?

Share your poem this month by becoming a guest author. Please submit your poem by 24th April and let your voice be heard!   Visit http://www.aingealwoman.com for details. When you share your writing, you empower others who may have had a similar experience or feel the same way. Your words are so very powerful. Let your message be heard. Share your story and let others see that like Maya Angelou you are a phenomenal woman!

Love & light