Commonplace Blog #4

I wouldn’t say i’m a HUGE fan of poetry, but some poems really do resonate with me, and I catch myself going back to them from time to time. In particular, I find comfort while reading Still I Rise by Maya Angelou. As a proud feminist, I feel like this poem speaks volumes to the essence of the feminist mystique. Angelou is passionate with her words, without coming off as hostile. She gets the point across with fervor, and leaves no room for questions, or need for elaboration. I like how she uses a sort of “question method”, even though the questions she’s posing, she already knows the answers to. She uses the lines “Still I Rise” as a refrain, and drives the message home that despite the adversity she faces, she still stands back up at the end of the day. I think more than just African American women like herself can relate to this, frankly I think anyone can. We all have had times where we’ve been knocked down, whether physically, mentally, or emotionally. I think it’s important that we have pieces like this to reflect on, because we need to know that we aren’t alone in our struggles.