I promise I won’t do this all day. I wanted to save these for myself, though. I’ve got Phenomenal Woman on my own site but hadn’t seen this poem before.
To a Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou
When I was in my younger days
I weighed a few pounds less
I needn’t hold my tummy in
to wear a belted dress
But now that I am older
I’ve set my body free
There’s comfort of elastic
where once my waist would be.
Inventor of those high-heeled shoes
my feet have not forgiven
I have to wear a nine now
But used to wear a seven
And how about those pantyhose?
They’re sized by weight, you see.
So how come when I put them on
The crotch is at my knee?
I need to wear these glasses
As the print’s been getting smaller
And it wasn’t very long ago
I know that I was taller.
Though my hair has turned to gray
And my skin no longer fits
On the inside I ‘m the same old me
It’s the outside’s changed a bit
But, on a positive note
I’ve learned that no matter
what happens or how bad it
seems today, life does go on
and it will be better tomorrow.
I’ve learned that you can tell a lot
about a person by the way
he/she handles these three things:
a rainy day, lost luggage, and
a tangled Christmas tree.
I’ve learned that regardless of
your relationship with
your parents, you’ll miss them
when they’re gone from your life.
I’ve learned that making a “living” is not the same
thing as making a “life.“I’ve learned that life sometimes
gives you a second chance.
I’ve learned that you shouldn’t
go through life with a
catcher’s mitt on both hands.
You need to be able to throw something back.
I’ve learned that whenever
I decide something with an open heart,
I usually make the right decision.
I’ve learned that every day you should
reach out and touch someone.
People love a warm hug,
or just a friendly pat on the back.
I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said,
people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget
how you made them feel.
