International Women's Day: Maya Angelou

 

I have always loved Maya Angelou's poetry and found her inspirational in her strength and ability to endure a trials. I like her confidence and sass too.

I shared this poem with a boy heavy GCSE group and they were unmoved, if not downright hostile, towards the sentiment of it. Most of their attitudes were, "yeah, so? Mums have to do a lot. Get over it." I sincerely hope this was just male bravado and that they do appreciate all of the work their mother's do.

I hope to raise Ellis to have a great respect for women, but also to be able to fend for himself. He already loves to feed himself and so we are off to a good start. I am also lucky that The Belgian can hold his own in the kitchen and is not allergic to hoovering. I must admit we have fallen into gender stereotypes in that he always takes out the bin and I tend to do the laundry. However, I do refuse to iron his shirts as I don't iron my own clothes even!

I like the simple structure of this poem and how the first stanza is organised to mirror the monotony of her life by listing all of her daily chores. Now I am a mother myself and a temporary housewife I do agree with the sentiment that a woman's work is never done. Plus the 'moon glow' being all that 'I can call my own' as those evenings when the little man is in bed are so precious. Woman Work I've got the children to tend The clothes to mend The floor to mop The food to shop Then the chicken to fry The baby to dry I got company to feed The garden to weed I've got shirts to press The tots to dress The can to be cut I gotta clean up this hut Then see about the sick And the cotton to pick. Shine on me, sunshine Rain on me, rain Fall softly, dewdrops And cool my brow again. Storm, blow me from here With your fiercest wind Let me float across the sky 'Til I can rest again. Fall gently, snowflakes Cover me with white Cold icy kisses and Let me rest tonight. Sun, rain, curving sky Mountain, oceans, leaf and stone Star shine, moon glow You're all that I can call my own. Maya Angelou