To Goddesses Everywhere…

My favorite poem on women is ‘Phenomenal Woman‘ by a truly phenomenal woman herself, Ms. Maya Angelou 🙂 Every time I read it – it makes me sit up straighter, my held held high, my gaze clear and my heart thumping! How lucidly she gets to the core of us women – ‘WHO’ we are and ‘HOW’ we are, amazes me.

As I’ve mentioned several times before, I don’t go for the frantic ‘Day’ commemorations that have mushroomed over the years. It seems like there’s a ‘Day’ for everything these days – probably even a ‘Doing Nothing Day’ for all I know 😉 Still although we women are awesome as I said in my Facebook status today, 24/7, 365 days a year – I don’t see how a little more adoration can do any harm 😛

So here is my homage to all you Phenomenal Women and also to you the Magnificent Men who recognize and cherish these women in your lives 🙂 You thought I forgot about you guys didn’t you?! Didn’t you?!! And to go with – a collage I made of Indian Goddesses that to me live in every woman on our Planet. They symbolize the many incarnations women undergo at various times in their lives and shed some light on the ‘GODDESS WITHIN’ 🙂 The artwork is by animator Sanjay Patel – whose books I came across and instantly loved, while browsing a while ago. I love the illustrations for their originality, although the high ‘cuteness’ factor only adds to their appeal 😉 Hope you like!

“I’m EVERY woman! It’s ALL in ME!”

And here is the poem!

Phenomenal Woman

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

A Happy Women’s Day to each one of you Phenomenal Women out there 🙂 

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• Phenomenal Woman – Maya Angelou (apekejoy.wordpress.com)
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• Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou (ladyicons.wordpress.com)