Maya Angelou Poems 2015: 10 Inspirational Messages About Love, Courage And Strength

Thursday marks one year since famed author Maya Angelou died in her North Carolina home. The inspirational writer was 86 and received numerous accolades throughout her life.

To remember Angelou, whose real name was Marguerite Ann Johnson, a list of some of her most riveting poems have been listed below, accompanied with a thought-provoking quote. Check them out, courtesy of All Poetry and Poetry Soup.

1. Phenomenal Woman--“Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size.”

2. Still I Rise-- “You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I'll rise.”

3. Caged Bird-- “But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams/ his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream/ his wings are clipped and his feet are tied/ so he opens his throat to sing.”

4. Alone-- “Alone, all alone/ Nobody, but nobody/ Can make it out here alone.”

5. Touched By An Angel-- “Love arrives/ and in its train come ecstasies/ old memories of pleasure/ ancient histories of pain. Yet if we are bold, love strikes away the chains of fear/ from our souls.”

6. Woman Work-- “Shine on me, sunshine/ Rain on me, rain/ Fall softly, dewdrops/ And cool my brow again.”

7. Weekend Glory Folks--“Folks write about me. They just can't see how I work all week at the factory. Then get spruced up and laugh and dance/ And turn away from worry with sassy glance.”

8. Human Family-- “I note the obvious differences between each sort and type, but we are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.”

9. Refusal-- “I defy my body's haste. Without the promise/ Of one more sweet encounter I will not deign to die.”

10. Life Doesn’t Frighten Me At All-- “Shadows on the wall/ Noises down the hall/ Life doesn't frighten me at all.”

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