Phenomenal Woman

The poem, “Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou, celebrates womanhood. It is a call to women to love themselves no matter how they look. It is crying out to women to celebrate their strength and their power. To revel in their beauty. To embrace everything that being a woman means.

             “Pretty women wonder where my secret lies, I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size.” (Angelou) The first two lines of this poem set up the foundation of the poem. That foundation being, the speaker is not a pretty woman. Or, to be more accurate, she is not considered to be pretty in the conventional sense.

            “But when I start to tell them, they think I’m telling lies.” In the next two lines she takes the time to explain it to the pretty women. But, those women think she is lying. Those women believe that pretty is the only thing worth being. What they don’t understand, and what the speaker tries to explain, is that self-confidence is a woman’s best accessory.

            Men and women are both attracted to confidence in others. “We actually show people how to treat us by the way we treat ourselves. If we don’t love who we really are deep down inside we tend to subconsciously believe that we don’t deserve love.” (hsamuel) These pretty women don’t believe that they are worth anything outside of their appearance.

            “I say” (Angelou) From this point on, the power of this poem comes to the forefront. The line is just two words, but such powerful words they are. I can see the speaker in my mind tossing back her hair, looking you straight in the eye, and commanding the attention of every person around her.

            “It’s in the reach of my arms, the span of my hips, the stride of my step, the curl of my lips.” (Angelou) Every single aspect of being a woman is what makes her powerful. In this stanza she speaks of the physical aspects. None of the aspects that she speaks of are things that are thought of as the ideal for physical beauty. The power of the woman, any woman, is in the confidence.

            “I’m a woman phenomenally. Phenomenal woman,   that’s me.” (Angelou) The rest of the stanza says it all. That is all the speaker needs to know. All she needs to tell you. I am a woman, you are a woman. That is where our power lies. As a woman you must embrace that power, and use it.

            “I walk into a room. Just as cool as you please, and to a man, the fellows stand or fall down on their knees.” (Angelou) These men can sense her power. They can sense her self-confidence. They can see the true beauty of the woman. It isn’t physical, but it is there nonetheless.

“Then they swarm around me, a hive of honey bees.” (Angelou) This is a profound statement. Bees live in a matriarchal society. Everything that they do is to favor and protect their queen.      The domination of female power is evident in all classes of the animal kingdom. In some instances, such as praying mantises, females are the bringer and takers of life.

“I say,” (Angelou) There it is again, the two most powerful words in this poem. Throw your head back and shout. I say, because I know. I say, because I am the one in control. I say, because I have the power. I say, because I am beautiful. I say, because I am strong. I say, because I am a woman.

“It’s the fire in my eyes, and the flash of my teeth,” (Angelou) She is describing the passion here. The fire in her eyes shows anger, lust, or pain. The flash of the teeth could show happiness, ire, or sadness. Regardless of the emotion, it is all about the passion. Passion draws people in like flies to honey.

  “The swing in my waist, and the joy in my feet.”   (Angelou) In this part of the description she has stepped away from the physical completely. There is not a physical feature that can contend with the sheer womanly force that she possesses. It could be alluding to dancing. For centuries, dancing has been an outlet for passion.

“I’m a woman phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that’s me.” (Angelou) One of the definitions of phenomenal is “known through the senses rather than through thought or intuition.” (www.merriam-webster.com) This means that people are drawn to a powerful woman without even knowing why.

“Men themselves have wondered   what they see in me.” (Angelou) It is biologic; the instinctual need for a strong, confident woman. This biological urge is the need for a woman that could protect her young from a predator. That could make a home for her family despite the odds.

“They try so much, but they can’t touch my inner mystery. When I try to show them, they say they still can’t see.” (Angelou) They are drawn in, almost against their will. The need to possess and protect is a strong instinct. They are drawn to the woman, to the power. Like the drones are drawn to the queen.

“I say, it’s in the arch of my back, the sun of my smile, the ride of my breasts, the grace of my style. I’m a woman phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that’s me.” (Angelou) These are untouchable, unreachable qualities. There is not an amount of makeup, surgery, or designer labels that can make up the qualities of a truly secure, powerful woman.

“Now you understand just why my head’s not bowed.” (Angelou) A woman, any woman, should never hang her head. Every woman has the power. They just have to learn how to tap into it. All that is required is the belief that the woman is worthwhile. Every woman is in charge of their world.

“I don’t shout or jump about or have to talk real loud.” (Angelou) A truly powerful woman does not have to draw attention to herself. She does not have to seek out the attention. She does not even have to wait for the attention. The attention is already hers to own and use as she sees fit

“When you see me passing, it ought to make you proud.” (Angelou) It should make any woman proud to see another strong confident woman. If we, as women, would spend more time building each other up, instead of tearing each other down, there would be more of us. Hopefully, that would lead to a world where women were no longer used and abused.

“I say,” as once again she squares her shoulders and asserts her power. “It’s in the click of my heels, the bend of my hair.” (Angelou) The power is in every pore of her being. The power is in the very rhythm of her walk. The power is hers. She owns the power. She controls the power. She is the power.

“The palm of my hand, the need for my care.” (Angelou)Women are the bringers of life, the healers of the sick, and the bosom of the family. There is a reason we call it Mother Earth, not Father Earth. Women hold the power of the world in the palms of their hands, because without women there wouldn’t be a world.

“’Cause I’m a woman phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that’s me.” (Angelou) Embrace your womanly power. Know that you are beautiful. Be confident in your strength. You are woman; wear the badge with honor and pride. Be the phenomenal woman that you were born to be.

Works Cited

 

Angelou, Maya. www.poetryfoundation.org. 2013. web. 29 October 2103.

hsamuel. "The single greatest attractive quality- confidence." 24 April 2009. www.hubpages.com. web. 29 October 2013.

www.merriam-webster.com. 2013. web. 29 October 2013.