For My Phenomenal Sister

 My sister is thirty-three and she is just now beginning to find out that she is a Phenomenal Woman. My eyes filled as I read the poem posted below, and thought of how brave my sister has been these past couple of years. So this is for my sister. You can do this. Life gets really, really hard, but you are strong enough. You are showing everyone, especially yourself, that this is true. You deserve to like yourself and be happy, and you can believe me when I say that because this is how we all feel. Phenomenal Woman sums up what we are all trying to do and become in our lives. I love you.

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Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.


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 I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.


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 Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
The palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.