Poetry Thursday: On Hips...
(Thursday, February 22, 2007)
I have been sooo very swept up in the past week. Lots of busy things to do, tasks for class and just for the wedding. A surprise bridal shower was thrown for me on Sunday, and since then, I've been very consumed with getting things ready and cleaning the apartment and this and that!
But now my week is coming to an end, and even though there's so much left to do before Monday, I decided to take some quiet time and indulge in Poetry Thursday. I have been spending some time (when there is time) drawing figure studies of women, so the topic was particularly interesting to me this week! Even though I didn't have time to write something myself, this week's prompt really inspired me to share these two poems that I adore...
Phenomenal Woman
Maya Angelou
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
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.
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.
Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
*
Homage to My Hips
Lucille Clifton
Maya Angelou
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
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.
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.
Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
*
Homage to My Hips
Lucille Clifton
| these hips are big hips. they need space to move around in. they don't fit into little petty places. these hips are free hips. they don't like to be held back. these hips have never been enslaved, they go where they want to go they do what they want to do. these hips are mighty hips. these hips are magic hips. i have known them to put a spell on a man and spin him like a top |
© Megan K. 2006-2007
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ooOOOooh. i love the maya angelou poem, and the other one is new to me, but so yummy.
congratulations on the surprise shower, sweetie. i'd love to hear more details, when you've got time. ;)
Hee hee! These were so great! I love Maya Angelou... we are all phenomenal women...
So exciting to hear about all your busyness- and the shower must have been so fun!
Thanks for visiting me, dear...
this was a beautiful thing to read first thing in the morning, thanks for posting it.
I love maya angelou. Thanks for introducing me to the other. I will look her up.
gautami
In-between state of consciousness
Fabulous Miss Meg. What a great visit here!! As Always.
Oh, and what fun a suprise shower? Was it fun?? Did it make the near future more real? Mrs....
Excellent choice of poems for the prompt!