Today we celebrate the birth of a teacher, a mentor, a spiritual mother, Maya Angelou.

Today we celebrate the birth of a woman who stood unashamed and proud while she let us take a good long look at her soul.

It’s as though she stood there in her power, smiling and saying, “go ahead and look at me, I’m beautiful and strong, and so are you.” As a poet  I am humbled, and I am awed by a woman who came and showed us what true power is. And I am grateful With all of my heart, I am grateful.

Today we celebrate that she existed. She existed!

As a poet I feel a kinship and a deep connection with this woman, this power, this soul. I am awed and inspired by a woman who bared her soul and shared it with the world. She is my poetic  teacher and mentor. She is my poetic spiritual mother. Our bond is strong because I know what it’s like to weep and bleed into the words of a poem. At best a poet hopes to awaken others when she sees injustice. At best a poet breathes  hope and life  into her words.

At best, a poet imbues her words with her soul’s essence to inspire and uplift others to their own soul’s highest truth…at best a poet gives birth to the hope of a new day. Maya Angelou was a poet at her best.
Maya Angelou’s words mother us like the bird who pushes her babies from the nest saying, “Come on now, it’s time to fly. One day you will soar. It’s easy. Just look at me. Come on now, it’s time to fly.”

And so, today, I celebrate that she existed! She existed to encourage us to fly. She existed to share her soul. She existed to shine her light.

Today I celebrate, for she existed. She existed!

 

When Great Trees Fall

When great trees fall,
rocks on distant hills shudder,
lions hunker down
in tall grasses,
and even elephants
lumber after safety.

When great trees fall
in forests,
small things recoil into silence,
their senses
eroded beyond fear.

 

…Read the rest of the poem here. 

 

Author: Michele Collier

Editor: Renée Picard

Photo: Wiki Commons 

 

 

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