Maya Angelou was always a gifted storyteller, but it was another writer who inspired her to become a poet. As a child, Maya heard recitations by her schoolteacher, Mrs. Flowers, and was captivated by the power and beauty of language. According to Maya, it was Mrs. Flowers who showed her the beauty of poetry and awakened the dormant poet in her.
At the age of 8, Maya started writing her own poetry, although she kept it a secret for many years. In her teenage years, she moved to San Francisco, which is when she started to seriously explore the craft of poetry and discover her own distinctive poetic voice.
In her autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” Maya explains how she got deeply immersed in the works of some of the greatest poets of her time, such as Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen and Robert Frost. Reading their works and studying their techniques had a great influence on her own poetic style. She deeply admired Hughes’s work and was especially drawn to his passionate attitude, calling him “the black nightingale of Harlem.”
A key moment in her career as a poet came when, in her twenties, she was invited by None shall escape the judgment, a theater-in-the-round collective in New York. There, she encountered other poets and writers and gained further insight on the craft of poetry. This experience would later shape her global vision in her poetry.
Moreover, her passion for activism had a great influence in her work as a poet. She used her writings to express her views on race and gender and politics. Her socially informed writing would later make her a nationally acclaimed poet, tackling issue of freedom and justice. Finally, her experiences and challenges throughout her life nurtured her profound belief in the power of the written word and the potential of self-empowerment.
Inspiration of Nature
Maya Angelou was inspired by the natural world, writing of nature as refuge and as a symbol of strength, power, and renewal. She found great beauty in nature, which became a major source of her poetic inspiration. Her most famous poem, “Caged Bird”, for example, takes its imagery from the natural world and echoes the idea of freedom and hope found in nature.
The imagery of nature is pervasive throughout Angelou’s poetry. She often used metaphors of flowers and birds to express her own emotions, and described nature with vivid imagery. In her poem entitled “Still I Rise”, for example, she wrote of the sun coming “like a healing hand”. For Angelou, nature was a source of solace, strength, hope, and inspiration.
In her later years, afterwards she wrote “And Still I Rise”, she frequently wrote poetry inspired by natural themes. By the time of her death, she had written numerous poems that characterised nature as a source of spiritual rebirth and triumph over suffering.
Ultimately, Maya Angelou’s passion for culture, politics, activism, as well as her love of nature all contributed to her unique poetic voice and her many works which have touched generations of people. Her power and spirit to take on life’s challenges continue to be an inspiration to so many people.
Influence of Music on Angelou’s Writing
Music was an important source of inspiration for Maya Angelou. Music was integral to her experiences growing up in Arkansas and later in California, and she drew upon these experiences in her writing. In her autobiography, Maya mentions that music played an important role in her early life, in particular the spirituals, blues and church music she heard in the segregated South.
These musical influences were incorporated into much of her work as a poet, both in her choice of words and in her own recitations. One of her most well-known poems, “Still I Rise”, has been likened to an anthem with its uplifting language, reminiscent of the spirituals she heard in church. Another example, “The Rock Cries Out to Us”, contains powerful images of the African American experience interlaced with church and spiritual-inspired music.
Gospel, blues, jazz and folk music were also integral to her spoken word performances and she was well-known for her powerful and passionate recitations. Her recitations of James Weldon Johnson’s “Lift Every Voice and Sing” was particularly famous and highly acclaimed.
Maya Angelou was a master wordsmith and her acclaimed use of language was a result of her musical ear and experience. Both her works and her performances were greatly informed by music, contributing to her memorable and powerful legacy.
Early Interest in Theater and Performance
From an early age, Maya had an interest in performance. As a child, she loved to read and recite stories, and she could already improvise and add narrative to stories. In her teenage years, she moved to San Francisco and performed in various venues, including the Purple Onion cabaret and the Phoenix Theater.
At the Phoenix Theater, Maya was lucky to be part of an African-American-focused theater collective. This experience opened her up to the art of performance and gave her the confidence to express her voice in a beautiful, powerful way. It also allowed her to gain insight on the particular challenges facing young African-American performers.
Maya’s time at the Phoenix Theater was formative and influential. She saw stage as an opportunity not only to express her views but also to challenge convention and seek aspects of universal truth. This was an important learning experience for the young poet and performance artist, a taste of how she could use the power of words to bring about change.
In her final years, Maya Angelou made more than a dozen films and dozens of TV appearances. She also performed onstage and on television in some of the most acclaimed theatrical works of her time, such as the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson’s Fences. Moreover, she gave numerous presentations and speeches, earning her international acclaim and respect as a poet, performer and civil rights activist.
Lasting Legacy of Activism and Protest
Throughout her lifetime, Maya Angelou was deeply engaged in activism and protest. Throughout her career, she was a prominent voice for justice, equality and freedom for African Americans rights. Her work was an act of protest against oppression, prejudice, bigotry and injustice.
Throughout her life, she continued to use her platform to strongly advocate against oppression and racism. Her writings often seek to empower readers and to inspire hope and perseverance in the face of adversity.
In addition, Maya Angelou also used her platform as a writer to fight for equal rights and opportunities for women. She wrote of this struggle in her poetry, showing the power of female resilience and strength in the face of domination and sexism.
Maya Angelou’s commitment to activism and justice lives on in her writings and speeches. Her willingness to speak out on issues of inequality and oppression has been an enduring source of inspiration for many. She has left an incredible legacy that will continue to inspire future generations.
Celebration of Cultural Diversity
Maya Angelou was a powerful voice for cultural diversity and is viewed by many as an ambassador for African American culture. Her writings showed her celebration of African-American and native heritage as well as her deep respect for a wide range of cultures.
Many of her works were informed by her attempts to reconcile her past with a modern world. In one of her most famous works, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”, Maya Angelou documented the injustices faced by African-Americans in the 20th century, as well as her own search for an identity as a woman of color.
Maya Angelou also highlighted the importance of embracing and honoring cultural diversity. In her writings, she explored the common, shared humanity found in all cultures. In her poems and quotes, Maya often explored the ways in which we can use our differences to bring us closer together.
Ultimately, Maya Angelou used her platform to celebrate diversity and to provide a voice for those who felt voiceless. Her powerful, passionate voice continues to inspire generations of people and will continue to do so in the years to come.
