Phenomenal Woman- Maya Angelou - Short Summary

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 for my care.   

’Cause I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

Summary

      Maya Angelou, is one of the most celebrated poets and memoirists in American literature.Her poem ‘Phenomenal Woman, describes the allure she has and celebrates her identity as a woman.It appeared in her third volume of poetry, And Still I Rise. It was first published in 1978.

        In this poem,the speaker exposes the attributes she possesses that deem her irresistible to others, particularly to those of the opposite sex, despite the fact that she does not fit into society’s definition of what makes a woman beautiful.

      The first stanza includes the physical traits that make her stand out, from her hips to her smile. As the poem continues, she extols the inner mystery that makes her so attractive to the men around her. She uses phrases like the “span of my hips,” “grace of my style,” “ride of my breasts,” and “bend of my hair.” She also mentions the “flash of my teeth,” “click of my heels,” and “reach of my arms.” These are examples of parallelism that all indicate the poet’s interpretation of her strength and power.

     Throughout the poem, she describes the confidence and pride she has in herself, which radiates from her .By consciously choosing to call herself phenomenal, the speaker seems almost incredulous that she is lucky enough to be a woman. 

     

    In the last stanza, the speaker says that her head is unbowed as she accepts how she is. She is happy with it and takes pride in the way her body radiates her inner beauty.Thus the poem taps on the themes of womanhood, identity, pride, self-love, and self-acceptance.