Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

"Phenomenal Woman," by Maya Angelou, describes herself from her own point of view. Maya Angelou talks of her "inner mystery" and explains, to those who can’t see it, why men notice her.

Using a very rhythmic rhyming scheme, she projects a strong self-confidence. Using phrases that describe her body help her to show that self-assuredness. Every action she makes, from "the stride in my step," to "the fire in my eyes", shows that she moves about a room like she has complete control. The words she uses show that she knows what she is doing, and everything is intentional. She knows that even though she is not the generic, petite woman, she is beautiful and can attract attention from anyone she wants to.

At one point, Maya Angelou says, "I’m a woman". This statement is very broad. Broad in the sense that it speaks for many women, not just herself. She says this and it says, to me, that she is what she is. She is a woman, a woman who is phenomenal because she is herself, and she does not try to be anyone else but herself. Another place in this poem that shows this is when she says, "it’s the