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 back yard.
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.
This poem is very interesting and very confusing. What dose it mean how dose it mean? only she will know.
i like this poem because i can re-late to it. this poem is life like.
OMG Maya i bow down to you because some many people can relate to this poem, and you are by farthe most WONDERFUL poet i have ever heard of. you really do give inspiring words and I appreciate all of them
may GOD bless you, and again
THANK YOU
I really like that poem I can relate. I have some people who don’t like me they can say stuff to me and about me as you said I will rise.
I really like that poem I can relate. I have some people who don’t like me they can say stuff to me and about me as you said I will rise.
One of my teen students,(bible/Sunday school) read this poem and immediately knew she had to recite it doing the Black History Program at my church.The meaning is clear. Keep pushing for your beliefs and never give up. Thanks Web and Mrs. Angelou
this is a great poem for all ages
This is the best poem I’ve ever read in my life.
Favorite line:
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?
LOL
this a a truely inspirational poem.a universal poem that tells us to move on with our life and live it fully according to our own desires and wishes no matter how much one is discouraged.we should have a firm belief on our own abilities.set a goal and go on to get it ,noone can stop you from gettin it.
maya bi loved your poem right when i read the first line!you are the best poet eeeeeeeeeevvvvvvveeeeeeeerrrrrrrr!
i love ur poem so much i wish i can meet with u someday i admired u every since i was six years old now i’m sixteen and i promise u this poem made me relize no matter how much people talk about me still i rise i love ur poetry so much i really hope 2 meet with u aka sincerly Lady (kisses)
This is a Great poem, i read it when Im feeling down ,it reminds me things always get better .
“Still I Rise” is a very straightforward poem. This poem reminds me of all the jealousy and hatred that I have encountered during my lifetime from so-called friends and also family members! But still God let me rise!
ms.maya angelou,you are the best poet in my book. because if i could i would sit & read your poems all day long, you were (& still are)my insperationto become a poet and i am also really good @ it.but i just
wanted to let you know what you have done & been to me & i just wanted to tell you (thanks)ant that you are now and always will be aq phenomenal women and you have always rised above. thank you very much!
Ms.Angelou you are my inspiration truely, I love reading your poems and in fact I am going to read my favorite poem “I rise” at my forensics meet next year and dedicate it to you:)
Mya Angelou your poems are so inspiritional .Just by what you say helps people to rise.I hope you continue rising and helping other people rise you are so special u are like an angel except an invisble one who help people rise in good times and bad just by looking at u and and listening to your true words is the greatest.U rise Mya Angelou rise rise rise
I really love this poem it’s so enlightining, inspirational and influentual,i really get the message that she portrying to her audience no matter what she went through in her life after it all still she rises above and beyond the rest.
this was a beautiful poem!
Maya Angelo’s poem still I rise is truely and inspiration for all african americans in todays society.We as a people must over come all obstacales and strive for the best that there is. We must rise above the sterotypes of america, and prosper as Angelo has by taking the storms of the world by force. We must laugh in the faces of negative people and say, “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 rise”
wow that was an amazing poem. It gave me goosebumps!!