a poem for Maya Angelou, may 28th, 2014

a poem for Maya Angelou, may 28th, 2014

I.

I  was only 12

when my mother came to me

with your book of poetry

and all i could do

was hide in my room

and read it

all

 

II.

I did not know what

a Phenomenal Woman was

but later when I said

I want to be a poet

at least my mother knew

what that could look like

at least my mother knew

poets made books that made

children believe they could make themselves

whole

 

III.

Just the way you look at me

those straight shot no mess eyes

insist that I

put all of me out there

for the world to see

 

IV.

I  was only 12

when my mother handed me your book

which was her way of telling me

it’s okay to be a girl

to be an African girl

and try to be somebody

 

© 2014 Uchechi Kalu