Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou Summary

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can’t see.
I say,
It’s in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Now you understand
Just why my head’s not bowed.
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
‘Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Maya Angelou’s poem “Phenomenal Woman” celebrates the strength, confidence, and allure of a self-assured woman. The speaker expresses her own sense of beauty and allure, challenging traditional notions of attractiveness. The poem is divided into three stanzas, each emphasizing different aspects of the speaker’s identity and the reactions she elicits from others.

In the first stanza, the speaker dismisses conventional standards of beauty associated with fashion models. She attributes her allure to the physical and personal qualities that set her apart – the reach of her arms, the span of her hips, the stride of her step, and the curl of her lips. The repeated refrain of “Phenomenal woman, that’s me” reinforces her self-confidence and self-worth.

The second stanza portrays the speaker’s impact when entering a room. Men are captivated by her presence, and the speaker attributes this to the fire in her eyes, the flash of her teeth, the swing in her waist, and the joy in her feet. The imagery of a hive of honey bees symbolizes the attention and admiration she attracts.

The third stanza addresses the curiosity of men who wonder what makes her captivating. The speaker suggests that her inner mystery, represented by the arch of her back, the sun of her smile, the ride of her breasts, and the grace of her style, is something they cannot fully comprehend. The final lines assert her pride and self-assuredness, emphasizing that she doesn’t conform to societal expectations. The poem celebrates the uniqueness and power of women, encouraging pride in one’s individuality and rejecting external judgments.