The sixth grade was the first time I truly studied poetry. My English teacher gave us a poetry assignment where we had to pick a poem, memorize it, and act it out in front of the class. Somehow, I stumbled across Maya Angelou's Still I Rise. Reading through this poem as a sixth grader, I was very astonished. It had so much meaning that my sixth grade self couldn't even fully begin to understand but still, it was such a beautiful poem. I knew I wanted to learn this poem and have it become a part of me. I knew that whatever Maya Angelou was saying had to do with me and my identity.

Years later, I took a creative writing class and my teacher asked us to pick a poem that we loved and change it to incorporate ourselves. Because I loved Maya Angelou's Still I RIse, I wrote this:

Still I’m Here

You may shut me out of your life

With your monstrous, mean lies

You may say rude things to me

But still, like air, I’m here

Does my friendliness confuse you?

Why are you in such a mood?

‘Cause I walk around laughing

Like I got gold in my shoes

Just like water and like fire

With a certainty of smoke

Just like dreams becoming reality

Still I’m here

Do you want to see me gone?

No trace and no sight?

A disappearance like ghosts

Weakened by light?

Does my happiness torture you?

Don’t you get sad and cry

‘Cause I talk like I’ve got money

And I believe I can fly?

You may shoot me with your looks

You may cut me with your stares

You may kill me with your bitterness

But still, I swear, I’m here

Does my faithfulness shock you?

Does it come as disbelief?

That I party like I’ve got lovers

And not a tiny bit of grief?

Out of the lies and dangerous halls

I’m here

Up from the rumors and falls

I’m here

I am running water, cold and excited

Fighting and biting, I simply walk away

Leaving behind days of abuse and ignorance

I’m here

Into a world full of spears

I’m here

Keeping behind my past and memories

I am done with it all

I’m here

I’m here

I’m here

From Still I Rise by Maya Angelou

I look up to Maya Angelou because she is one of the strongest black women I have ever met. From the beginning, she had to fight. In some ways, she taught me how to fight. She went through trials and tribulations and she still knew how to rise. I read her poems and I am reminded of obstacles and then victories. I learned that we have to go through rain to get to the rainbow. Maya Angelou showed that. Her wisdom and strength will always be remembered. Thank you, Dr. Angelou, for being an inspiration to both me and all of us.