Bionic Jean's Reviews > Phenomenal Woman

"I write for the Black voice and for any ear which can hear it."

So said the author of this little book, who sadly died earlier this year. It is a beautiful slim hardback book, slightly wider than an average paperback, and contains just one famous poem Phenomenal Woman by the great Maya Angelou. The poem is given an extra dimension, as it is accompanied by reproductions of paintings of Tahitian women by Paul Gauguin, who died 25 years before Angelou was born. Although the two are miles apart both in time, culture and location, it is an inspired coupling. At the back there is a short one-side biography of each, the poet and the painter. Additionally, there is a list of titles of all the paintings, with dates and present locations.

Each double page spread has a painting by Gauguin, plus two lines, a couplet or maybe more, from Angelou's poem. Sometimes there is an additional smaller reproduction. The choices perfectly mirror the descriptions in the poem itself; they are so apt that it is possible to read the book as if they are illustrations for it, although of course the paintings have an inner life and beauty of their own, glowing with colour and vitality.

Maya Angelou was born "Marguerite Johnson", but her brother nicknamed her "Maya" meaning "mine", and it stuck. She is a unique voice in poetry, and respected as a writer, performer, teacher and director. She has left a powerful legacy. This poem is typical of her voice, and as with much of her work, benefits from narration. The words are simple, repetitive, rhythmic and structured. There is a refrain,

"I'm a woman,
Phenomenally,
Phenomenal woman,
That's me."

There is colour and light, sensitivity and gentleness in both poem and paintings. There is strength, power, vitality, knowledge and wry humour. Her poem is inspirational and life-affirming.

"All of my work is meant to say, "You may encounter many defeats but you must not be defeated.""

Just one poem, but it is a lovely book.