Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou (on Poem Hunter)
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.
Language note for students:
phenomenal |fəˈnämənəl| (entry in the Macbook dictionary)
adjective1 very remarkable; extraordinary : the town expanded at a phenomenal rate.2 perceptible by the senses or through immediate experience : the phenomenal world.DERIVATIVESphenomenalize |ˌīz| verb (in sense 2).phenomenally adverb
More links:
The best sites for learning about women’s history on Larry Ferlazzo’s blog.
Learn about women breaking all barriers: womenshistorymonth.gov
Information about the International Women’s Day
Posts on our students’ blogs other students can comment on:
Commemoration of 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day on George’s Blog
The world’s 16 most rebellious women on Sotiria’s Learning Journey
Jane Eyre: A woman’s adventures in a male world (book summary by Izoldi)
