The poem still I rise is about Maya Angelou’s self-belief and rising above the hatred of the past. This poem displays an image filled with emotion but still being strong enough to rise above and move forward. Maya Angelou explains her journey, in Stanza 4 her quote “Shoulders falling like teardrops” expresses the low point in her life where it seems like hope can’t be found. This is an important part of the poem, she hands us the knowledge that if she could rise above what she’s been through others can do.
Maya Angelou wrote this poem to show her worth and power and to give others the opportunity to find their strength too. Her reference to slavery confronts people to open their eyes and change their ways. Her quote “Does my sassiness upset you?” is showing her confidence and the sarcasm behind it proves that she doesn’t care what others say about her life, money, and accomplishments. Her quote “Cause I laugh like I have goldmines Diggin in my backyard” and “I walk like I’ve got oil wells pumping in my living room” is telling us that she has the right to show off her achievements to the world. Maya Angelou chose to read this poem for the first time at Clinton’s election. This is significant because she is telling America to put their faith in him and trust him to lead their country to greatness.
Maya Angelou repeated I rise 5 times in the end stanza to enhance the importance of what she’s saying. She chose to put it at the very end of the poem to make sure it’s the last thing people remember after listening to it. It summarizes the poem perfectly using two simple words the have so much meaning behind them and create such a big effect.
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