Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou recita el poema Todavía me levantaré:

TODAVÍA ME LEVANTARÉ

Me puedes inscribir en la historia
Con tus amargas y retorcidas mentiras,
Me puedes arrastrar en el mismo fango
Pero todavía, como el polvo, yo me levantaré.

¿Te desconcierta mi insolencia?
¿Por qué te acosa la melancolía?
Tal vez porque camino como si tuviese pozos de petróleo
Bombeando en la sala de estar.

Como las lunas y los soles,
Con la certeza de las mareas,
Igual que las esperanzas que vuelan alto
A pesar de todo me levantaré.

¿Querías verme acabada?
¿Con la cabeza baja y los ojos en el suelo?
Los hombros caídos como lágrimas.
Debilitados por el llanto del alma.

¿Te ofende mi arrogancia?
No lo tomes a mal
Porque me río como si tuviera minas de oro
excavadas en el patio de atrás.

Me puedes disparar con palabras,
Me puedes cortar con la mirada,
Me puedes matar con tu odio,
Y a pesar de todo, como el aire, me levantaré.

¿Te desconcierta mi sensualidad?
¿Te sorprende
Que baile como si tuviera diamantes
En el medio de los muslos?

Desde los cobertizos de una vergüenza histórica
Me levanto
De un pasado enraizado en el dolor
Me levanto
Soy un océano negro, impetuoso y extenso,
Fluyendo embraveciendo soporto la marea.
Dejando atrás noches de terror y miedo
Me levanto
En un nuevo día asombrosamente claro
Me levanto
Con los talentos que me dieron mis ancestros,
Soy el sueño y la esperanza del esclavo.
Me levanto.
Me levanto
Me levanto.

http://elestablodepegaso.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/todavia-me-levantare-de-maya-angelou.html

STILL I RISE

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?

Why are you beset with gloom?

’Cause I walk like I've got oil wells

Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,

With the certainty of tides,

Just like hopes springing high,

Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and lowered eyes?

Shoulders falling down like teardrops,

Weakened by my soulful cries?

Does my haughtiness offend you?

Don't you take it awful hard

’Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines

Diggin’ in my own backyard.

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.

Does my sexiness upset you?

Does it come as a surprise

That I dance like I've got diamonds

At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history’s shame

I rise

Up from a past that’s rooted in pain

I rise

I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,

Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear

I rise

Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear

I rise

Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,

I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

I rise

I rise

I rise.

Maya Angelou (Missouri, USA 1928). She is an author, poet, historian, songwriter, playwright, dancer, stage and screen producer, director, performer, singer, and civil rights activist. She is best known for her autobiographical books: All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986), The Heart of a Woman (1981), Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas (1976), Gather Together in My Name (1974), and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), which was nominated for the National Book Award.

Among her volumes of poetry are A Brave and Startling Truth (Random House, 1995), The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou (1994), Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now (1993), Now Sheba Sings the Song (1987), I Shall Not Be Moved (1990), Shaker, Why Don't You Sing? (1983), Oh Pray My Wings Are Gonna Fit Me Well (1975), and Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'fore I Diiie (1971), which was nominated for the Pulitzer prize.

http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/87

Her website: http://mayaangelou.com/