Thursday, June 7, 2007

I rise

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.

5 comments:

a_akak said...

Very nice & YES you will rise and never let anyone make you feel down and always look up as your smile and happiness is worth your wight in gold

You Will Rise

Fe Aman Allah

ibeebarbie said...

Salam Ahmed,
You are first here too. Yippie! I know you've been very busy, so delighted you were able to squeeze the time to stop by. :-)

I found this poem yesterday and the words just resonated through me. For it's a great reminder of Allah's love and grace that we are allowed to rise alhamdullilah.

Romana said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Romana said...

I loved this poem the moment i heard it on Oprah.It made me cry...the intensity of it...the talent of Maya Angelou.

Salam :)

ibeebarbie said...

Wasalama Romana,

Thank you for stopping by. I agree with you completely about the emotional movement of this poem. There is something absolutely so beautifully profound about it that it stir something very deep within me, mashallah.