Maya Angelou is one of the most renowned and beloved African-American poets of all time. Her poem, “When you Come,” is an elemental example of her renowned work. When examining this poem, it is easy to be engrossed in the power of her words and the beauty of the imagery she creates. In this poem, Maya Angelou paints a vivid picture of love, of gratefulness and sorrow, of life and death, of joy and sadness. She conveys the magnitude of emotion that reverberates through us when we come, whether to a beloved person or place.
From the very first line, Angelou draws the reader in, illustrating the welcoming natures that greets us all. “When you come, bringing the gifts you alone can bring,” she speaks of how all humans have something precious to offer and of how these gifts are welcomed and appreciated. Angelou builds on this idea as the poem progresses, emphasizing how deeply one’s unique individual presence affects those around them.
The second stanza speaks of the unconditional acceptances we find in a beloved, and their unique power to provide comfort and support in times of need. “When you come, bringing the light you alone can bring, the sweet, sweet light of you,” hints at how the heroic act of returning home is met with joy, a joy that charges the home with new energy, hope and life.
In the third stanza, Angelou turns her poetic eye towards the darker aspects of life and death, acknowledging the cyclicality of life and our role as participants in it. “When you go, you leave the gifts you alone can leave, the vulnerable gifts of you,” speaks of how our presence is both fragile and powerful, fleeting and permanent, intertwined and distinct.
Finally, in the last stanza, Angelou uses the power of her lines to inspire the reader to embrace life in all its forms, to “fix the broken” and “lift the fallen,” as we both come and go through the cycle of life. She speaks of how our coming and going can shape lives and reminds us of the consequences and rewards of our actions.
The Power Of Expression
In “When you Come,” Angelou conveys the power of expression, how it affects us deeply in ways we are both aware and unaware. She encourages us to share our thoughts and feelings, our unique gifts and talents with the world, with those around us. She also speaks of the inherent risk that comes with expression, that it can also bring hurt and sorrow and the knowledge that no-one, or no-thing will last forever.
By examining the poem’s structure and its content, it is evident that Angelou conveys a powerful message. She encourages us to find peace and solace in life and in love, to accept change and welcome the unknown, to stay safe in our hearts and open to love, to keep our minds and hearts open, and finally, to live out each moment as best we can, both when coming and when going.
The Power Of Imagery
In “When You Come,” Angelou skilfully incorporates various types of imagery in her work. From the sweeping landscapes that opens the poem, to the subtle joining of phrases to create unified images, Angelou is able to captures the beauty of the human experience. She also effectively uses contrast between the idea of comfort and distress, embrace and seclusion, reinforcing the idea of the cycle of life that exists around us.
The imagery that Angelou crafts in her poem speaks to something deep within us. It is something that resonates across the boundaries of age, gender and culture, a timelessness that transcends language and speaks to the core of humanness. With strong images of peace and remorse, of light and darkness, of love and sorrow, Angelou conveys the nuances in the code of life, inviting us to slow down and listen to what it has to tell us.
The Power Of Language
Language plays an integral role in “When You Come.” Angelou uses contractions in her work, uniting two terms within the same word, emphasizing their inherent connection. This technique of weaving language is both beautiful and sophisticated, allowing the poet to reveal aspects of the human experience with a few words. Utilizing simple yet elegant syntax and imagery, Angelou is able to paint a vivid picture of life with her words, exploring complex emotions and thoughts in what is a small stanza of poetry.
The rhythm of the poem is gentle and subtle, demanding no complex phrasing or extravagant word choices. By speaking from her poetic soul and speaking directly to the heart of readers, Angelou encourages us to delve deeper into ourselves, see and accept all that life has to offer.
The Power Of Acceptance
Angelou speaks of the importance of accepting life’s changing nature and the idea of never-ending cycles. In “When You Come” she speaks of how both joy and sorrow is a part of life, of how they are both essential components of life. She teaches us how to embrace the hurt and heal, how to make a beautiful home in our hearts and how to accept change and uncertainty.
In her poem, Angelou continually speaks of the importance of being open and embracing the unknown. She acknowledges that no-one has the ability to truly “own” the present moment, and encourages us to keep ourselves grounded in our shared existence. “When You Come” is a poem that encourages each of us to look within, to accept the gifts and burdens of life and to live in peace with ourselves and with others.
The Power Of Intimacy
Perhaps the most powerful aspect of Angelou’s poem is its ability to bring us into deep moments of intimacy. Her words reach deep within us, tugging on our hearts and inviting us to connect with ourselves and with the world around us. “When You Come” speaks of intimacy both in its purest form and its most heartbreaking, of privacy and solidarity. It speaks of how to be at ease with ourselves and how to allow others to share in this space.
Angelou conveys the universal importance of being open to one another. Of cherishing people, moments and moments. Of seeing the beauty in life and sharing it in whatever form we can. No matter how fleeting, how transient, how heartbreaking, Angelou reminds us that all of these things have the power to bring us closer together.
