Caged Bird

“Sympathy” by Paul Laurence Dunbar (1899)

Dunbar wrote the poem “Sympathy” while working at the Library of Congress. The context of Dunbar’s life and the metaphor of the caged bird signify a poem about the struggles of Black Americans. Angelou pays homage to Dunbar’s imagery in “Caged Bird” and in her most popular book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

“Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou (1978)

Often considered one of Angelou’s best and most enduring poems, this poem transcends stereotypical body image and beauty ideals and empowers women with the message that self-acceptance and inner confidence are the keys to true beauty. Written in Angelou’s typical rhythmic style, the poem is most famous for its refrain “I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.”

“Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou (1978)

Perhaps Angelou’s most powerful poem, this unapologetic anthem celebrates Angelou’s individual spirit as a Black woman. The poem intersects the power and history of Blackness and womanhood to create a feeling of pride, strength, and independence. In the poem, Angelou uses a series of questions and responses to showcase her resolve in the face of bigotry and hatred.