Phenomenal Woman.

As a kid, my family would go on short trips from our isolated town of Page, America to the larger towns of Flagstaff, AZ and St. George, UT. We would often travel to even smaller towns (less than 1000 ppl) to visit family in Fredonia and Greasewood, AZ. 

Aerial view of Page, AZ. Lake Powell is north of the town. Pretty, yes, I know. It is a hidden oasis. However, it is as remote as an island in the ocean. "Short trips" are 2-3 hrs one way. 

On such trips, my dad would tell us fictional stories of a Navajo police officer that nurtured the imagination. My parents would quiz us on trivia related topics that we had interest in. Significantly, my parents challenged us to memorize poems, scriptures, and other words of wisdom. My older brother would often check out from the library the book One Hundred and One Famous Poems. I loved that book. The first poem I memorized in response to my dad's challenge was Walt Whitman's O Captain! My Captain! I quickly fell in love with those classic poets, memorizing Kipling and Longfellow, Wordsworth and Dickinson. I memorized Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and portions of Dr. King's I Have a Dream speech.

As of late, I have been reading Maya Angelou's work because it is downright beautiful. I have memorized her poem, Phenomenal Woman, which you can hear her read in the clip below.

I love this poem for so many reasons. Whenever I hear it, read it, and say it, I think of my sister, my mom, my aunties, my grandmas, my friends. I can see "the flash of their teeth", "the sun of their smiles", "the stride of their steps", and "the curl of their lips". I can recognize "the grace of their style", "the reach of their arms", "the palm of their hand", and "their need to care". I can hear their laughs and their tears. They are all women, phenomenally! This poem brings a smile to MY face and I can't help but say to myself,  "Phenomenal woman, that's me."