Poem- "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou

[Ms. Knarr]

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou





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 thighs?



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.

[rosemariefreschi]

1. This poem is about Maya Angelou telling people that she doesn’t care about what they may think of her. She loves herself and that’s all that matters to her. She will have the better outcome ad will enjoy herself while she still can. Maya has achieved her dreams and the dreams others had for her. She will continue to reach for the stars and won’t let anybody tear her down. She will embrace herself and show off her confidence like it’s nobody’s business.
2. This poem is so inspiring and as you read you can almost feel your own confidence growing. “Still I Rise” makes you understand that it is your opinion about yourself that truly matters, not anybody else’s. I also like how Maya asks questions throughout the poem as if directed towards you. These questions make you really read the poem because you want to understand her confidence.
3.Q1: Were there a lot of critics writing about her in either bad or good ways?
Q2: Did you feel more confident after reading this?
Q3: Was this poem Maya’s way of answering her critics back?
Q4: Is Maya really as confident as she describes herself in this poem?

[abbyjameson]

1. I agree with Roe's interpretation of the poem. Maya Angelou exerts an air of haughtiness and confidence, but only because she loves herself and no one is going to change that. Maya talks about how others try to bring her down, but they cant, no matter what they so or do, she will bounce back up. She does not care what other people think of her or say about her because they are not whats important to her in life. Whats important to Maya is achieving her dreams, and no one is going to stop her.
2. "Still I Rise" made me smile and feel a rush of warmth throughout me. Maya is an inspiration, and I look up to her now because of this poem, because she is teaching others not to let anyone get in the way of achieving your goals and dreams. Why let someone you dont care about ruin you? She reminds you to remember you are beautiful no matter what other people say or think of you. They do not matter, the only person that matters is yourself, and you should care and love for yourself.
3.(question3) I believe this is Maya's way of answering her critics. I am sure that many people have torn down and ripped apart Maya and her work, and her response was to let them know that her work is beautiful. No matter what people say about Maya she will not let them get to her because she believes in herself and thats all that matters.
(my question) If this poem was a way of responding to her critics, what do you think the critics would have to say about this?

[clareaker]

1. I think this poem is about a girl saying that no matter what anyone says about her, she will not let it get to her. She is very confident and believes in herself in everything she does. I think this poem is saying that nobody can bring her down in any possible, and she can achieve any dream she has with her confidence.
2. I like this poem very much. I think it is very empowering and is a good message for young girls to hear. Maya is saying that we can all do anything we wish to do and shouldn't let the opinions of other people affect us. She believes in herself, just like everyone should.
3. I think if critics read this piece, they would stop criticizing her. Once they realize they cannot affect her, they would stop trying to.
Q: Who do you think Maya is talking to when she says "you"?

[jimmymahoney]

1. There isn't much debate to it; this poem is about a person defying society's image of them and being happy with who they are. It's hard to come up with a different interpretation. This is Maya Angelou being confident and telling those who mock her exactly where they can shove their opinions.

2. I like this poem, as everyone has those moments where they want to tell all the gossipers exactly what they think of them, and this poem embodies what people would say. It's a great form of expressing negative emotion.

3. To answer clare's question, the "you" character is everyone who insults Angelou and tells her she isn't as perfect as this poem says she is. My question is, does Angelou truly believe these words she says, or is she saying them more for her own benefit than anyone else's?

[marysiagarcia]

1. I agree with Rosemarie's interpretation of the poem. Maya Angelou wants to defy what is expected of her. She refuses to bow over and be sad and fade into shadow. Instead she challenges what expected and says she has slavery ancestory but she is proud of it.
2. I like this poem alot. It is not just one stereotype or person that this affects. Society usually expects a certain group of people to act or be a certain way not realizing that each
person is different. We should all be this proud of ourselfs like Maya Angelou is.
3. Answering question 4, I think Maya is like everyone else. She has her insecuritites but overall i feel that she is a more confident person in general because she hbelieves she has a right to be.
(my question)What do you think Maya Angelou is trying to prove about her confidence?

[mattteryek]

1. I agree with everyones interpretation above. This poem is obviously about Maya Angelou's rise to success. She achieved fame and in her own way is laughing at all of the people who said she could never be great. Maya is proud of her slave heritage, and only grows stronger and more confident in her work when others try to put her down.

2. I liked this poem because Maya is defying societies answers. She is proud of who she is and is exceptionally proud of her slave heritage. What I also admire about Maya, is the fact that she never lets negative feedback affect her work. She continues to stand strong and defy what is appropriate.

3. (Answer to Marysia's question) I feel that Maya is trying to prove that no matter what anyone else says, she will continue to do what she loves in her own way. It's obvious she believes in her writing and no one will convince her otherwise.

My question: As readers, do we act similar to Maya, or do we answer to society?

[hugozazzarini]

1. I agree completely with Roe's interpretation of this poem. I too believe that this poem is about Maya Angelou telling people that she does not care about their opinion of her. With confidence and conviction, she goes on to tell those that do not like her that no matter what they say about her, she will still live throughout these things and that they can't stop her from succeeding. She continues to show confidence and love for herself throughout the poem.
2. I really enjoyed reading this poem as it can be an inspiration for many and any people anywhere. This poem also reminds me of my attitude towards all those who judge me without reason. "Still I Rise" makes me feel proud of who I am and reassures me that I am who I am and no one's going to change that, not even society itself.
3. (answering Matt's question) While most people would go on not caring about what other's would think like Angelou, I think that sometimes people get insecure and would be conscious on those things that society would criticize them for.
My question: Do you think Maya Angelou was aiming at a specific person with this poem or that she simply put it out for all of us to be aware of her confidence.

[kevinskocypec]

1. I agree with most of what everyone has said before. Most importantly, I feel like this is an inspirational poem saying no matter what happens, no matter what people say or think about you, you must keep moving forward. There was a lot of racial segregation, and Angelou was expresing how she will continue to keep her dignity despite how her and the black population was treated.

2. Although racism is the strongest situation, poem does not only have to be referenced with racism, but can be referenced to many different situations. It is about standing up tall. I enjoyed reading this because of the positive attitude Maya Angelou used. Also, I admire her determination to not give in to the bad people around her.

3. (Answering Hugo's question) I feel like Angelou was directing this poem to the entire black culture. She was expressing how she needs to continue standing tall, and so should they. Her pride is what made her up, not her color which people were judging her for.

My Question: Was the line "Leaving behind nights of terror and fear" directed towards her own personal experience?

[timhoffman]

1. I tend to agree with Jimmy on this one. The poem essentially spells out what Angelou is trying to say, whereas some poems do not make a very large amount of sense.

2. To answer Jimmy's question: I believe that she truly does believe what she is saying. There is a power that is behind her words that can only come from as genuinely caring mind.

(My Question): Has she suffered some special hardship as compared to other blacks to make her feel this way, or was she just responding to the overall feeling of oppression of the time?

[allisoncorchado]

1. I think that this poem was written to show how despite what others my think of you, despite how hard they try to bring you down, and despite how much they desire your failure and sadness it is ultimately you who determines your destiny and your own success. I believe that Maya tried to show that she would always prevail no matter what hardships came her way and there was nothing anyone could do about it. This poem served to empower those who thought they could never win, it served to show all the slaves that they can still walk with their heads held high and be proud of who they truly are.

2. I really enjoyed this poem. It was extremely motivational and inspiring. I really liked the positivity that it portrayed. It is a contrast to most African American pieces that speak only of the negatives which I really appreciate. Its a poem that can be read in anytime of despair and make you feel proud and persistent. I think that there should've been more pieces written like this so that other slaves could feel like they had their own voice.

3. Response to Tom's question- I think she had experienced just as much hardship as all of the other slaves during this time and that she wanted to show everyone that she would not be another slave to fall victim to her master. I believe that she wanted to respond to all those other slaves who felt hopeless and to show them that this was what she was going to do and that they should try it too. My question- Do you think she was ever scared of what would happen to her when she acted this way?

[veronicapuzio]

1. I agree with Roe. Angelou is trying to say that she does not care what people think of her. People may mock and ridicule her but she rises above that like the air and brushes it off her shoulders. People will talk about you behind you back, people will spread rumors about you, yet you should walk with your head held high, knowing they're not true. Also, it has to do with the oppression of Blacks. No matter who tries to bring her down or 'step on her' or 'bury her', she will always stand up for herself . She will never let anything that anyone says or does to her make her feel worthless, because she has inner strength and believes in herself.

2. I like the poem very much because it has a very powerful meaning. If you don't let others get to you, and you will rise above ridicule, you will be the stronger one. The poem shows that only you can determine who you are and what you can be. Don't listen to the jealousy of others. The poem tells you to be confident, and to love yourself no matter what. I also liked the poem because it was well-written.

3. Answering Allie's question: I do think the Angelou was scared of what would happen to her if she acted this way. However, I don't think she really cared because she was just being who she really was. If someone will oppress you for showing your true colors and character, then there must be something wrong with that person. Angelou was not only standing up for herself, but for others who feel the same way she does but don't have the strength to act on it.
My (Q): Do you think that you could have the same attitude as Maya Angelou does in this poem?

[allisoncorchado]

1. I agree with Veronica's response to my question. I think that during the time of slavery there was always fear, everyday was a struggle for your life. However, Maya was proud of who she was and she didn't want to live her life afraid to be herself. I think her personality and individuality was very important to her, an therefore the fear was worth it.

2. Response to Veronica's question- I don't think i could've had the same attitude as Maya in this poem. I would be too afraid of what would happen to me if i acted out. I think if anything I would try it once and see what kind of a response I got. That way I could continue living knowing that i tried to stand up for myself and who i really was. My question- How do you think Maya go her confidence?

[jthimelrick]

1. I believe the meaning of this poem is to tell all those who are put down and hurt that you must rise, you must forget what others say about you or how they hurt you and do whatever you want to. Maya says that the writers may write her with their twisted lies and trod her like dirt, but yet she will rise because she knows she is better then that, just like the rest of us should, especially those who face many challenges daily.
2. I really liked this poem. It shows how strong each one of us should be even though we face challenges each day and face people who want to bring us down, we must rise up and be who we want to be. Just as maya says, "just like moons and like suns, with the certainty of tides, just like hopes springing high, still I'll rise."
3. (answering roe's second question) Yes i feel a lot more confident after reading this poem, after seeing what Maya faced and overcame i know i can overcome my problems to succeed just like she did.

my question- Do you think this poem was directed at any one person, or just all of her critics in general?

[alexmaravic]

1. I strongly agree with JT's opinion. I think that Maya is talking about how she won't let anything bring her down. She's proud of who she is and isn't afraid to show it. She's confident in herself and won't let anyone break her because she's strong enough to overcome all the hardships that may come her way. She also mentions the past of her ancestors, meaning slavery. When she mentions this, she recognizes that all the pain and suffering her ancestors went through won't ever be forgotten but she's a stronger person for it. Nothing is going to hold her back from being a strong, independent woman.

2. I found this poem to be really inspirational and empowering. Maya's words made me realize how important it is to be strong. No one should be able to make you feel bad about yourself because of your race, gender, age, anything. Everyone deserves to be happy and proud to be who they are. No matter what awful things happen to a person, you will always overcome it and rise.

3. (answering Kevin's question) I think that Maya must have had life changing experiences for her to think this way and have this attitude about herself. I think through those experiences she realized how she needs to be strong to survive which is why she doesn't let anyone break her.

Question: What is the significance behind the line "I am the dream and hope of the slave"?