Friday, February 1, 2008

A Beautiful Topic

My dear sister Mary Alice, From the Frontlines, has written on a very interesting topic today. My comment to her got rather long. I have A LOT to say on the topic of beauty, but have busy morning so can't post full thoughts till this evening (read: baby in bed)...like I said, have lots to say. In the meantime, I have always felt this poem perfectly portrays a beautiful woman and perfectly inspires me to be one. (Mrs. G readers: Note: I am not selling this poem! I state again, if Mrs. G is going to copyright pergatory, I will be right there with her, hopefully will serve cocktails there, the damned have a tendency to get edgy without them).

PHENOMENAL WOMAN
by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies
I'm not cute or built to suit a model's fashion 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 steps
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 of 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 for my care.
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally
Phenomenal woman
That's me.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Jo
I feel a glint of sunshine coming from your direction...after yesterdays rainy day.
Feel beautiful! You and Mary Alice are.
DC

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Hi Jo
Can't make this link work properly - I did this -
http://the-virtual-bookclub.blogspot.com/
first draft???
DC

Jo said...

Are you trying to make another blog? Hmmm, you are asking a technically challenged person a technical question and I have no idea??? Hmmmm. Thinking. Will try link.

Thank you for the kind words and yes, there is some sunshine, am feeling better. Nothing like a good cry and feeling sorry for yourself for a day to get it back together!

Anonymous said...

sexy is as sexy does, no? I think confident people are quite attractive and I love how she encourages us to celebrate ourselves, not demean ourselves.

Jo said...

Hi Melissa!
I just posted my blog which I entitled "beautiful is as beautiful does" and then I read your comment--that is too funny! It is such a good saying! Hope you are having a great day with all your cute boys!

Yo said...

i love it.