Composers represent their personal experiences in poems to reflect their
world and challenge the responder to change their worldview.
Introduction
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about poets
Name of the
poet, poem
& brief
description
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Name of the
poet, poem
& brief
description
Link back to
question –
call to action
Poets move audiences through sharing their personal
experiences, or their observations of the world around them.
Perceptions are challenged, encouraging reflection and
significant change. Maya Angelou’s ‘Still I Rise’ is a powerful
poem about an African American woman who will not be held
back in life. Angelou is resolute in her desire to be successful and
no one, not even centuries of oppressors, will stand in her way.
The poet addresses her oppressors directly, challenging the
responder’s preconceived ideas of ethnicity, equality and human
rights. The audience is asked to contemplate past wrongs and
consider how they may inform a better future. Similarly, Amanda
Gorman’s ‘The Hill We Climb’ confronts events in recent history
and examines their connection to the inequality of cultures,
deeply entrenched in American society and other societies
around the world. Like Angelou, Gorman expresses hope for
society to be courageous, encouraging the responder to think
about how they can facilitate change and a movement towards
racial equality.
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‘Still I Rise’ reflects Angelou’s personal journey in life; she is
defiant and light-hearted, confident and angry, refusing to be
oppressed. The audience is taken to an uncomfortable place,
facing the horrid reality of slavery and questioning its lingering
impact on the African American people and the American public.
Angelou’s use of metaphor, “I’m a black ocean,” reveals that her
power and identity is a natural part of herself that makes her
unstoppable, suggesting that she is a powerful and strong
woman, inviting the audience to look below the surface to see
inside a person and highlighting that embracing our identity and
strength will help us overcome oppression. The reader is
challenged to accept people for who they are and to view
cultural differences as strengthening society, making it a richer
place in which to live.