We all know that there are all kinds of beauty. Some are blessed with physical beauty, others with a beautiful mind, and still others with a beautiful spirit. Author, educator, actress, producer and poet Maya Angelou possessed all of these. She lived a long and full life, yet many of us who admire her and her work are saddened at her passing yesterday at the age of 86.
I especially love her poetry. Her rich and powerful words resonate with so many of us, regardless of any perceived cultural, religious or economic differences. Phenomenal Woman, one of her most well-known works, is one of my favorites because in it she reminds us that all women are beautiful:
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.
~Maya Angelou