And Still I Rise Quotes

“Had I known that the heart breaks slowly, dismantling itself into unrecognizable plots of misery... had I known yet I would have loved you, your brash and insolent beauty, your heavy comedic face and knowledge of sweet delights, but from a distance I would have left you whole and wholly for the delectation of those who wanted more and cared less.”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise

“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.”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise

“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 my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries?

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own backyard.

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.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise

“Cotton rows crisscross the world
And dead-tired nights of yearning
Thunderbolts on leather strops
And all my body burning
Sugar cane reach up to God
And every baby crying
Shame a blanket of my night
And all my days are dying”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise

“LIFE DOESN'T FRIGHTEN ME
Shadows on the wall
Noises down the hall
Life doesn't frightnes me at all
Bad dogs barking loud
Big ghosts in a cloud
Life doesn't frighten me at all.

Mean old Mother Goose
Lions on the loose
They don't frighten me at all
Dragons breathing flame
On my counterpane
That doesn't frighten me at all.

I go boo
Make them shoo
I make fun
Way they run
I won't cry
So they fly
I just smile
They go wild
Life doesn't frighten me at all.
Tough guys in a fight
All alone at night
Life doesn't frighten me at all.
Panthers in the park
Strangers in the dark
No, they don't frighten me at all.

That new classrom where
Boys all pull my hair
(Kissy little girls
With their hair in curls)
They don't frighten me at all.

Don't show me frogs and snakes
And listen for my scream,
If I'm afraid at all
It's only in my dreams.

I've got a magic charm
That I keep up my sleeve,
I can walk the ocean floor
And never have to breathe.

Life doesn't frighten me at all
Not at all
Not at all.
Life doesn't frigthen me at all.”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise

“Shine on me, sunshine Rain on me, rain Fall softly, dewdrops And cool my brow again. Storm, blow me from here With your fiercest wind Let me float across the sky ’Til I can rest again. Fall gently, snowflakes Cover me with white Cold icy kisses and Let me rest tonight. Sun, rain, curving sky Mountain, oceans, leaf and stone Star shine, moon glow You’re all that I can call my own.”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise

“You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may tread me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

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.”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise

“The years And cold defeat live deep in Lines along my face. They dull my eyes, yet I keep on dying, Because I love to live.”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise

“You will face many defeats in life, but never let yourself be defeated.”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise

“They fought too hard, they loved too well.
My crime is I’m alive to tell.”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise

“সুশ্রী মহিলারা বিস্মিত হয় আমার রহস্যটা কি ভেবে।
আমার নেই কোন আকর্ষণ কিংবা শারিরীক সৌষ্ঠব।
যেমন থাকে ফ্যাশন মডেলদের,
কিন্তু যখন ওদের শোনাই আমার গল্প,
ওরা ভাবে আমি বুঝি বানিয়ে বলছি।
আমি বলি,
সবই তো আমার নাগালের ভেতর,
আমার পশ্চাদের আকার
আমার পা ফেলার ভঙ্গি,
আমার ঠোঁটের বাঁক।
কারণ আমি এক নারী
বিস্ময়করভাবে।
বিস্ময়কর নারী,
সে তো আমিই।

আমি যখন কোন ঘরে ঢুকি
ঠিক যেমনভাবে আমাকে ঢুকতে দেখতে চান
কিংবা কোন পুরুষের দিকে এগোই,
তারা সবাই উঠে দাঁড়ায় কিংবা
হাঁটু ভেঙে সৌজন্য দেখায়,
কিন্তু তার পরই ভনভন ছেঁকে ধরে একসময়
ঠিক এক ঝাঁক মৌমাছি যেমন।
আমি ভাবি,
বোধ হয় আমার চোখের ভেতরের আগুন,
কিংবা আমার সুন্দর দাঁতের ঝিলিক,
অথবা আমার নিতম্বের স্পন্দন,
কিংবা আমার পায়ের ছন্দ,
এসব মিলিয়ে বিস্ময়কর নারী আমি।

বিস্ময়কর নারী
সে তো আমিই।
পুরুষরা বিস্ময়ে হতবাক
আমার ভেতরের আমাকে দেখে।
অথচ সেটাকে ছুঁতে তারা অক্ষম,
আমর গভীরের সেই অলৌকিকতাকে।
আমি যখন তাদের কাছে উম্মোচন করতে চাই
আমার অন্তরের অতলকে,
তখনও তাদের দৃষ্টিগোচর হয় না সেই অতল।

আমি বলি,
রহস্যটা আমার দুষ্টু গ্রীবার ভাঁজে,
আমার হাসির রৌদ্রকরোজ্বলে,
আমার নিশ্বাসের উঠানামায়,
যা দিয়ে গড়া আমার একান্ত গভীর-গভীরতর শৈলী।
আমি এক নারী,
বিস্ময়রভাবে।
বিস্ময়কর নারী,
সে তো আমিই।

এখন নিশ্চয় সবাই বুঝতে পারছেন
আমি মাথা কেন নোয়াই না।
আমার কন্ঠস্বর অযথা উচ্চমার্গে ওঠে না,
কিংবা অকারণে হই না অস্থির,
কথা বলি না কঠিন স্বরভঙ্গীতে।
আমাকে পাশ দিয়ে যেতে দেখলে
কেন আপনারা অযথা প্রগলভ, বুঝি না।
আমি ভাবি,
আমার চলার শব্দ,
আমার চুলের বিন্যাস,
আমার কোমল করতল,
আমার যত্নের আলতো স্পর্শ,
আপনাদের সবারই ভীষণ ভীষণ প্রয়োজন।
কারণ আমি এক নারী
বিস্ময়করভাবে।
বিস্ময়কর নারী,
সে তো আমিই।”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise

“Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I’ve got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs?”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise

“Is it true the ribs can tell The kick of a beast from a Lover’s fist?”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise

“I keep on dying again.
Veins collapse, opening like the
Small fists of sleeping
Children.
Memory of old tombs,
Rotting flesh and worms do
Not convince me against
The challenge. The years
And cold defeat live deep in
Lines along my face
They dull my eyes, yet
I keep on dying,
Because I love to live.”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise

“I keep on dying, Because I love to live.”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise

“I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise

“If you are always trying to be normal you will never know how amazing you can be.”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise

“...And you were mine.
For a time.
For a time.
Just for a time.”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise

“Still I Rise
BY MAYA ANGELOU
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.
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 my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.
Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.
Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?
Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries?
Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own backyard.
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.”
― MAYA ANGELOU, And Still I Rise

“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.”
― Maya Angelou, Still I Rise

“Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I’ll rise.”
― Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise