Assignment 6 - Rachel Burns

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 rise.

This is the first stanza of one of Maya Angelou's most famous poems, Still I Rise. When I was smaller, I had a book by Maya Angelou titled, Angelina of Italy; and from the moment I read it, I was fascinated with Maya Angelou's work. I started reading her other books and her poems and this one has always stuck with me. I didn't know what it meant when I first read it in elementary school, but now that I know what it means, it resonates with me even more.

The message of the poem is loud and clear- no matter the the cruelty, regardless of method and circumstance, the victim will rise up. Although it was written with African slavery and the Civil Rights Movement in mind, I believe that Still I Rise can be universally applied. Anybody, whether that be an individual or even a country, that is subject to oppression, abuse, or mistreatment, can understand from this poem that they should not give in to the torture, the bullying, the injustice that is being placed upon them.

When I hear this poem, I think of my mom. My amazing mother. The woman who spent the first 18 years of her life living below the poverty line. The woman who had to face discrimination from her peers, her teachers, and even her own family because of her race. The woman who was told that she could never go to college because she simply wasn't smart enough. However, this is also the woman that went to college, not only obtaining her Bachelor's degree, but also her Master's and her Doctorate. The woman who bought her own house at age 23 with her own money. The woman who raised three children and has always supported them.

My mom rose up. And I will still rise because of her.

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. 

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46446/still-i-rise