Famous Poems by Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou is one of the most famous black female poets. Though she became famous for her frank, personal, and revolutionary autobiographies, especially the first she wrote, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou is also praised for her poignant yet stylish poetry. Famous poems by Maya Angelou include Phenomenal Woman and On the Pulse of Morning.

Phenomenal Woman is one of the most famous poems by Maya Angelou which playfully describes Angelou's unconventional attractiveness to men. This poem was published in 1978 in one of Angelou's collections of poetry, And Still I Rise. Phenomenal Woman is noteworthy because it celebrates femininity, while rejecting archetypal images associated with femininity and beauty. Regardless of the sociocultural commentary, the poem is very lyrical, making use of repetition and short, song-like lines. Since Angelou herself was once a dancer, actress and singer, the theatrical style of this poem is particularly fitting and entertaining.

On the Pulse of Morning is generally regarded as one of the most significant and famous poems by Maya Angelou. The circumstances regarding a reading of the poem were historically important, as Angelou was selected to read a poem at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton. Being only the second poet to be awarded such an honor, it was a milestone for poets, women, and African Americans alike. The poem itself is very unlike Phenomenal Woman, instead winding through a more traditional free verse style while drawing upon a number of images of creation and beginnings. As an inaugural poem, it was incredibly successful - spawning a commemorative edition and winning a Grammy Award.

Still adding to her body of work today, Maya Angelou's latest poetry collection was published in 2009, entitled We Had Him. Despite being over eighty years old, Angelou's writing career appears to be far from over.