The poem Still I Rise by Maya Angelou.

‘‘Still I Rise’’

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod 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 backyard.

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 things?

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.

About the poem:

      Still I Rise written by Maya Angelou, who was African American writer. The title of this poem itself is rebellious. She presents bitter, twisted lies through this poem. Or we can say that it is her conscience came out through this poem.

      In the beginning of this poem she used ‘YOU’ it is directly suggested that she wants to told to someone who are responsible for all.

      Initial stage of this poem she described her insult by white skin that they may write her down in history, they may trod her in the very dirt, they may shoot her with their words, cut her with eyes, kill her with their hatefulness but still like dust and air, she will rise. So we can say that she was very determine that whatever happened with her, she will came out because what she told that she will came up from a past that’s rooted in ‘pain’. So, that’s enough of her level of pain and now she wants to rise against those who frequently insulting her.

      Afterward poet described that they are not just insulting black people but also disrespect, dislike, or avoiding them so she told them that if her sassiness and sexiness upset them or her haughtiness offend them, she will not concern about anything rather she compared herself with oil wells, gold mines and diamonds. Through these she suggested herself expensive and valuable. And the word sexiness represents here typical American mindset.

        Then what she described that like sun, moon, tide and also like hopes that springing at high, she will rise though people want to seemed her broken, bowed head and lowered eyes, shoulder falling down like teardrops but she told that she never loss her confidence into her because she introduced herself as a ‘Black Ocean’. Black Ocean symbolized as the color black is usually used to create a sense of fear and evil. A black ocean seems to describe an ocean that is full of cruelty and how things occur unexpectedly. But here it is represent as it is strong enough to doing anything. So, she compared herself with Black Ocean that she also vast enough to accept anything and also strong that any kind of circumstances happen with here, she still rise.  

            ''I am the dream and the hope of the slave''. 

                      Through this line she told to us rather to white people that she is the dream and the hope of the slave people, that she will take back their rights and freedom from white mentality. Because as we know that

                   ''Pen is mightier than the sword''. 

She will take her and their people rights through the pen not through the sword. Because words having more power to leave effect on people. 

         So, may be she used or represented these words it makes the words that much more powerful and makes it standout and also emphasizes Angelou’s message, which is to stay strong and to never allow anything or anyone stop her from fighting and living strong. 

                                                                                                                                                 Thank You...