Dear Dr. Angelou

IT’S FEBRUARY SO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS…IT’S BLACK HISTORY MONTH YOU GUYS! (the shortest month of the year)

To celebrate I have decided to dedicate a blog post to African American artists for the whole month of February. Whether they may be perished or alive, I really want to express my appreciation towards them. Because they help pave the way so I, a black artist, can succeed. So, with that being said, for my first blog post I have decided to write a letter to the divine, Maya Angelou.

Dear Dr. Angelou,

As a young girl, I always knew about you, even though I was never introduced to you. “The great and talented Maya Angelou,” is what I always heard when your name was mentioned. I was thirteen when I discovered the documentary Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise. While watching the documentary I immediately became inspired. This may sound a bit odd, but I felt a connection with you, Dr. Angelou.

You see, when I was a little girl I did not speak. I have a speech impediment that causes me stutter and mispronounce words. I was bullied by my family members and others.  I became very ashamed and self-conscious about the way I spoke. So, I decided to remain quiet, and communicate to others by simply pointing my hands. The only person I spoke to was my mother because she was the only one who could understand me. I began to take private speech lessons in preschool, and this lasted until I was in the 3rd grade. I was shy, quiet, and did not have many friends. As a result, I turned to reading and writing to entertain and comfort me. When I learned that you were mute, it made me feel accepted in a way. I understand that you decided to be mute for a completely different reason, but I found it inspiring that you took that tragic experience and transpired it into something phenomenal… your book: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. 

I wish that I  had the chance to meet you, watch you recite one of your poems, or even be in your presence. Even though it saddens me that I will never get the opportunity to meet you. I want to thank you. I want to thank you for never believing in the ones who didn’t believe in you. I want to thank you for never giving up even though times were extremely hard to be a black woman. I want to thank you for reminding me that I am a phenomenal woman¹. I want to thank you for your writing, acting, dancing, singing, and activism. Finally, I want to thank you for providing an example and and being a phenomenal role model. For little black, magical girls and little black, joyful boys to look up to. I thank you, Dr. Angelou.

Sincerely,

Stephyne Weathersby

 

Maya Angelou: Sunrise: April 4, 1928 Sunset: May 28, 2014

Maya Angelou was an African American poet, singer, dancer, memoirist, and civil rights, activist. She published autobiographies, essays, books of poetry, plays. Performed in movies, and television shows in her lifetime.

Image result for maya angelou dancing"

Image result for maya angelou reciting her poetry"

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Phenomenal Woman¹ – A poem written by Maya Angelou.

Phenomenal Woman 
By: Maya Angelou
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 for my care.
’Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Author: Stephyne Weathersby

Lowkey trying my best.

2 thoughts on “Dear Dr. Angelou”

  2. Wow, Stephyne, this was truly beautiful…from start to finish. I loved how you opened with a letter before including information, pictures, and a poem. I learned about an amazing figure from reading this blog, and I can see why she inspires you. I found the poem particularly beautiful, and, if you take this as a compliment (because I mean it to be), it reminds me of your own poetry. Thank you (:

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