“Still I Rise” is a celebration of inner strength, defiance against injustice, and a declaration of the speaker’s worth and resilience. Still, I Rise by Maya Angelou is a powerful and uplifting poem with several qualities.
It’s an empowering and inspiring piece of literature. Let’s read the poem Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou.
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may tread 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.
Resilience
The poem is all about showing strength and bouncing back from challenges. Maya Angelou expresses her resilience and her ability to rise above difficulties.
Confidence
The poet exudes confidence in herself and her identity. She declares her worth and refuses to be diminished by others’ opinions or prejudices.
Defiance
“Still I Rise” is defiant in the face of oppression. It challenges the stereotypes and biases imposed on the speaker and her community.
Pride
There’s a strong sense of pride in the poem. Maya Angelou takes pride in her heritage, her identity, and her individuality. This pride empowers her to overcome adversity.
Hope
The poem carries a message of hope. Despite the hardships, the speaker maintains hope for a better future, showing that resilience and self-love can lead to positive change.
Celebration of Self
Maya Angelou celebrates herself, her history, and her uniqueness. The poem emphasizes the importance of self-love and self-celebration.
Rhythmic and Musical
The poem has a rhythmic and almost musical quality. The repetition of the phrase “Still I Rise” creates a powerful and memorable rhythm, enhancing the poem’s impact.
Accessible Language
Maya Angelou uses language that is accessible and relatable. This makes the poem resonate with a wide audience, allowing people from different backgrounds to connect with its message.
FAQS
Still I Rise” is primarily about self-respect and confidence.
This was Maya Angelou’s third collection and tackles the struggles of being a black woman, oppression in society, and the surge of racism.
“Still I Rise” by American author Maya Angelou is a lyric poem. Lyric poems are a type of poetry that prominently feature literary techniques, like metaphor, meter, and consonance
In the poem “Still I Rise” there are thoughts of black feminism depicting African-American women who courageous and eager to rise above the discrimination of the white American majority.