{"id":2637,"date":"2014-05-28T21:43:32","date_gmt":"2014-05-28T21:43:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/oshetablogs.wordpress.com\/?p=2637"},"modified":"2014-05-28T21:43:32","modified_gmt":"2014-05-28T21:43:32","slug":"hump-day-happiness-phenomenal-woman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/shalominthecity\/2014\/05\/hump-day-happiness-phenomenal-woman\/","title":{"rendered":"Hump Day Happiness: Phenomenal Woman"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Today, one of my favorite poets Maya Angelou passed away at the age of 86. Today\u2019s Hump Day Happiness is her poem, \u201cPhenomenal Woman\u201d. This poem. Wow\u2026this poem. When I first read \u201cPhenomenal Woman\u201d I was struggling with my identity as a black woman, trying to own this curvy figure, and questioning my value in the world. I wondered if I\u2019ll even feel comfortable in this brown skin, then I read Angelou\u2019s words and a whole world of self-acceptance and deep pride opened up to me. This woman could write and speak truth and empower with great, great love. I praise Jesus for Maya Angelou\u2019s life. I hope you are inspired by her words today.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"poem\">\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">I\u2019m not cute or built to suit a fashion model\u2019s size<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">But when I start to tell them,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">They think I\u2019m telling lies.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">I say,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">It\u2019s in the reach of my arms,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">The span of my hips,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">The stride of my step,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">The curl of my lips.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">I\u2019m a woman<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">Phenomenally.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">Phenomenal woman,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">That\u2019s me.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"poem\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"poem\">\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">I walk into a room<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">Just as cool as you please,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">And to a man,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">The fellows stand or<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">Fall down on their knees.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">Then they swarm around me,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">A hive of honey bees.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">I say,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">It\u2019s the fire in my eyes,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">And the flash of my teeth,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">The swing in my waist,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">And the joy in my feet.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">I\u2019m a woman<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">Phenomenally.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"poem\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"poem\">\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">Phenomenal woman,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">That\u2019s me.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">Men themselves have wondered<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">What they see in me.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">They try so much<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">But they can\u2019t touch<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">My inner mystery.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">When I try to show them,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">They say they still can\u2019t see.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">I say,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">It\u2019s in the arch of my back,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">The sun of my smile,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">The ride of my breasts,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">The grace of my style.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">I\u2019m a woman<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">Phenomenally.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">Phenomenal woman,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">That\u2019s me.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">Now you understand<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">Just why my head\u2019s not bowed.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">I don\u2019t shout or jump about<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">Or have to talk real loud.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">When you see me passing,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">It ought to make you proud.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">I say,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">It\u2019s in the click of my heels,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">The bend of my hair,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">the palm of my hand,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">The need for my care.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">\u2019Cause I\u2019m a woman<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">Phenomenally.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">Phenomenal woman,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">That\u2019s me.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\">Learning to love Phenomenally Me,<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-indent:-1em;padding-left:1em;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/oshetablogs.files.wordpress.com\/2013\/08\/signature1.jpg\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-1096\" src=\"https:\/\/oshetablogs.files.wordpress.com\/2013\/08\/signature1.jpg\" alt=\"signature\" width=\"153\" height=\"64\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today, one of my favorite poets Maya Angelou passed away at the age of 86. Today\u2019s Hump Day Happiness is her poem, \u201cPhenomenal Woman\u201d. This poem. Wow\u2026this poem. When I first read \u201cPhenomenal Woman\u201d I was struggling with my identity as a black woman, trying to own this curvy figure, and questioning my value in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3037,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,398,420,447],"tags":[519,520,521,360,345,204,522,523],"class_list":["post-2637","post","type-post","status-publish","format-video","hentry","category-blog","category-faith","category-race","category-what-im-into","tag-acceptance","tag-african-american-pride","tag-death","tag-hope","tag-joy","tag-life","tag-maya-angelou","tag-pheomenal-woman","post_format-post-format-video"],"yoast_head":"\n<title>Hump Day Happiness: Phenomenal Woman<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VeFfhH83_RE Today, one of my favorite poets Maya Angelou passed away at the age of 86. 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