Thank you, Maya Angelou
There are a number of poems by Maya that I could have post here as a tribute, but it’s this one that resounds with me the most, and one my friend Alice shared on her FB wall. It’s a poem and a decent packet of advice that I wish I’d discovered as a teenager.
Thank you, Maya Angelou, for your oily, golden, diamond words, and for meaning them.
Every woman should…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own, even if she never wants to or needs to…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
something perfect to wear if the employer, or date of her dreams, wants to see her in an hour…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a youth she’s content to leave behind…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a past juicy enough that she’s looking forward to
retelling it in her old age…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
one friend who always makes her laugh… and one who lets her cry…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal, that will make her guests feel honored…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a feeling of control over her destiny…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to fall in love without losing herself…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
when to try harder… and WHEN TO WALK AWAY…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
that she can’t change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
that her childhood may not have been perfect…but its over…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
what she would and wouldn’t do for love or more…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to live alone… even if she doesn’t like it…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
whom she can trust,
whom she can’t,
and why she shouldn’t take it personally…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
where to go…
be it to her best friend’s kitchen table…
or a charming inn in the woods…
when her soul needs soothing…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
what she can and can’t accomplish in a day…
a month…and a year…
-Maya Angelou
image taken from http://www.stylelite.com
6 comments on “Thank you, Maya Angelou”
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How come some people are so wise? Or maybe only wise after a lifetime of experience. I will still be learning some of these lessons as I plummet from my earthly perch. Thank you for sharing these translucent pearls of wisdom. I will do likewise for loved friends.
We’re all wise in different ways. We can’t each be wise in the same way – we’ve all had different experiences. Even Maya hadn’t stopped learning (and probably still is, as she goes).
Grazie mille xxx
Wonderful post. Great tribute to a remarkable women who will never be forgotten.
Her legacy is Huge and she will remain alive through her words and thoughts,
Best wishes, Aquileana 🙂
amazing person.
Just dropping by to tell you that I have nominated you for a great award. Check out the nomination here (scroll down the page):
http://aquileana.wordpress.com/2014/06/11/greek-mythology-atalanta-hippomenes-a-footrace-and-three-golden-apples/
Congratulations and best wishes!!!…
Aquileana 😀
Thank you so much, Aquileana, and apologies for the late reply – no wifi for several days! Ahh! Buona domenica a te 😉