The Complete Collected Poems Quotes

“Caged Bird

A free bird leaps on the back of the wind
and floats downstream till the current ends
and dips his wing in the orange suns rays and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage
can seldom see through his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Collected Poems

“We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Collected Poems

“Soft you day, be velvet soft,
My true love approaches,
Look you bright, you dusty sun,
Array your golden coaches.

Soft you wind, be soft as silk
My true love is speaking.
Hold you birds, your silver throats,
His golden voice I'm seeking.

Come you death, in haste, do come
My shroud of black be weaving,
Quiet my heart, be deathly quiet,
My true love is leaving.”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Collected Poems

“I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.”
― Maya Angelou, Poems

“This bed yawns
beneath the weight
of our absent selves.”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Collected Poems

“When I think about myself, I almost laugh myself to death, My life has been one great big joke, A dance that’s walked, A song that’s spoke, I laugh so hard I almost choke, When I think about myself. Sixty”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Poetry

“I am the dream and the hope of the slave.”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Collected Poems

“Teachers of my
early youth
Taught forgiveness
stressed the truth
Here then is my
Christian lack:
If I'm struck then
I'll strike back.”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Collected Poems

“Will I be less dead because I wrote this poem or you more because you read it long years hence.”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Collected Poems

“The race of man is suffering And I can hear the moan, ‘Cause nobody, But nobody Can make it out here alone.”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Collected Poems

“If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love.”
― Maya Angelou, Summary & Study Guide The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou by Maya Angelou

“Weeper “I hate to lose something,”  then she bent her head, “even a dime, I wish I was dead. I can't explain it. No more to be said. ‘Cept I hate to lose something. “I lost a doll once and cried for a week. She could open her eyes, and do all but speak. I believe she was took, by some doll-snatching sneak. I tell you, I hate to lose something. “A watch of mine once, got up and walked away. It had twelve numbers on it and for the time of day. I'll never forget it and all I can say Is I really hate to lose something. “Now if I felt that way ‘bout a watch and a toy, What you think I feel ‘bout my lover-boy? I ain't threatening you, madam, but he is my evening's joy. And I mean I really hate to lose something.”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Collected Poems

“On late evenings when
quiet inhabits my garden
when grass sleeps and
streets are only paths for silent mist

I seem to remember

Smiling.”
― Maya Angelou, Summary & Study Guide The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou by Maya Angelou

“Your voice at times a fist
Tight in your throat
Jabs ceaselessly at phantoms
In the room,
Your hand a carved and
Skimming boat
Goes down the Nile
To point out Pharaoh's tomb.
You're Africa to me
At brightest dawn.
The Congo's green and
Copper's brackish hue,
A continent to build
With Black Man's brawn.
I sit at home and see it all
Through you.”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Collected Poems

“Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.”
― Maya Angelou, Summary & Study Guide The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou by Maya Angelou

“Autopsy read:
dead of acute peoplelessness.”
― Maya Angelou, Summary & Study Guide The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou by Maya Angelou

“Sugar cane reach up to God
And every baby crying
Shame the blanket of my night
And all my days are dying”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Collected Poems

“dreams are petted, like
cherished lap dogs
misunderstood and loved
too well”
― Maya Angelou, Poems

“I’d call a place pure paradise where families are loyal and strangers are nice, where the music is jazz and the season is fall. Promise me that or nothing at all.”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Poetry

“The variety of our skin tones can confuse, bemuse, delight, brown and pink and beige and purple, tan and blue and white. I”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Poetry

“Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom?”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Poetry

“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’ll rise. Does”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Poetry

“Shadows on the wall Noises down the hall Life doesn’t frighten me at all Bad dogs barking loud Big ghosts in a cloud Life doesn’t frighten me at all.”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Collected Poems

“If you know that youth is dying on the run and my daughter trades dope stories with your son we'd better see what all our fearing and our jeering and our crying and our lying brought about. Take Time Out.”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Collected Poems

“I met that lovely Detroit lady and thought my time had come But just before I said “I do” I said “I got to run” and started to Pickin em up and layin em down, Pickin em up and layin em down, Pickin em up and layin em down, gettin to the next town Baby.”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Collected Poems

“she’d find a hidden meaning
in every pair of pants,
then hurry home to be alone
and write about romance”
― Maya Angelou, Poems

“Fall gently, snowflakes Cover me with white Cold icy kisses and Let me rest tonight.”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Collected Poems

“They don’t give me welfare. I take it.”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Poetry

“No Loser, No Weeper “I hate to lose something,”  then she bent her head, “even a dime, I wish I was dead. I can't explain it. No more to be said. ‘Cept I hate to lose something. “I lost a doll once and cried for a week. She could open her eyes, and do all but speak. I believe she was took, by some doll-snatching sneak. I tell you, I hate to lose something. “A watch of mine once, got up and walked away. It had twelve numbers on it and for the time of day. I'll never forget it and all I can say Is I really hate to lose something. “Now if I felt that way ‘bout a watch and a toy, What you think I feel ‘bout my lover-boy? I ain't threatening you, madam, but he is my evening's joy. And I mean I really hate to lose something.”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Collected Poems

“Last year changed its seasons
subtly, stripped its sultry winds
for the reds of dying leaves, let
gelid drips of winter ice melt onto a
warming earth and urged the dormant
bulbs to brave the
pain of spring.

We, loving, above the whim of
time, did not notice.

Alone. I remember now.”
― Maya Angelou, The Complete Collected Poems