Two poems

[rug]

Phenomenal Woman

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 of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Maya Angelou


One Inch Tall

If you were only one inch tall, you'd ride a worm to school.
The teardrop of a crying ant would be your swimming pool.
A crumb of cake would be a feast
And last you seven days at least,
A flea would be a frightening beast
If you were one inch tall.

If you were only one inch tall, you'd walk beneath the door,
And it would take about a month to get down to the store.
A bit of fluff would be your bed,
You'd swing upon a spider's thread,
And wear a thimble on your head
If you were one inch tall.

You'd surf across the kitchen sink upon a stick of gum.
You couldn't hug your mama, you'd just have to hug her thumb.
You'd run from people's feet in fright,
To move a pen would take all night,
(This poem took fourteen years to write--
'Cause I'm just one inch tall).

Shel Silverstein

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. "The need of my care,"

like that line.


When I was 14, I was only one inch tall
so I really like that poem. A. Lot.

[LeftyFingerPop]

2. Both very nice. Thanks, rug. n/t

[MiddleFingerMom]

3. Very nice. Though I didn't recognize Maya 'til I saw her name, I KNEW it was Shel immediately.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Maya obviously needs to work on her self-confidence.
.
.
.
The line about a hive of bees swarming around her reminds me of a line
from one of my FAVORITE science fiction writers, John Brunner.
.
He wrote of this woman men were ALWAYS trying to bed in this way: She
felt like a honeypot surrounded by flies... all poised to unzip if she
so much as smiled.
.
.
.
He reminds me of Tom Robbins (the MASTER of metaphor) in many ways.
.
.
.

[Heidi]

4. Blasphemy! The outrage of writing about being only one inch tall!!!

We _all_ know that a true artist cannot imagine a circumstance he/she has never actually experienced and take license to express it. Those BASTID artists, confusing and misleading us all, intentionally besmirching our tenuous grip(s) on reality, challenging our biases.

[LeftyFingerPop]

5. If you have not been involved in a keyboard manufacturing process...

you should not be allowed to post on a message board. That's my true belief. :hi: :hug:

[Heidi]

6. Pants on fire.

And I love you for it. :hug:

[hippywife]

7. Ruthie Foster set that first poem to music

and it truly is a phenomenal song. I send this out to all my DU girlfriends. Just for you all:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-6ngL2pdgA

[Heidi]

8. !

Thank you, phenomenal woman! :loveya:

:smooch:

[hippywife]

9. No, that's you babeeeee.

How are you, gorgemous lady?

I'm still mulling over the sketchbook project. I think it would be fun but I'm afraid I might not finish it.

[Sparkly]

10. Thanks for that, hippywife!!

:loveya:

[hippywife]

12. You are welcome, Sparkly.

I think that first line does not apply to any of my DU friends in the least, they are all beautiful. But it's such an empowering song, I had to share it with the DU women I both know and admire.

:loveya:

[Dystopian]

11. How beautiful!

hippywife:hug:
The poem is powerful...and the song is beautiful...makes it all come together.
Thank you for sharing...
You are phenomenal ...
:loveya:

peace~

[hippywife]

13. Just as beautiful as you, Dys.

Inside and out, sweetie. :loveya:

[hippywife]

14. Sorry

I kinda jacked your thread, rug. Since you brought up the first poem, I couldn't resist sending out the song to all the lovely women at DU. There is so much power within it.

:hi: