About Me

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Archana Kapoor Nagpal is an internationally published author of four books. She often participates in the short story competitions, and her winning stories are now part of international anthologies. She has seen her short stories, poems and Haiku published in other anthologies as well She has also been actively involved in the editing, proofreading and book designing of various anthologies. You can read more about her writing career at the below link: https://www.facebook.com/archanaknagpal/

Monday, November 21, 2011

Still I Rise - Maya Angelou


I went for shopping and while sitting at Crosswords and looking for Chetan Bhagat’s new book – Revolution 2020, I came across this poem. I had nothing to copy so I clicked it through my mobile and googled for the same. A very inspiring poem by Maya Angelou. Sometimes people write for themselves but they leave an impression of inspiration on other’s lives. This is one such poem right from someone’s pen to touch many hearts.

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 back yard.

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.


No matter how life treats you. No matter how others treat you. The real success of a human mind and heart is the way you treat yourself.
I read something very nice – “When we look at others weaknesses, they very soon become a part of us.”
Equally true is “when you only look at your weaknesses ignoring your strengths, you become weak no matter how strong you were born”
Just Rise in your Life for the one you see into the mirror!