Besides my husband and children, I have probably mentioned Maya Angelou on my blog more than any other person. In honor of her life and death, I thought I would repost this writing from 2012. It features one of my very favorite Angelou poems, “Continue.”
May Maya’s life and work and way continue in this world long after her last breath. Still I rise. Amen.
***
some years ago, at my mom’s 60th birthday party, i read the poem, “continue,” by maya angelou. i wanted my mom to know that no matter her age, her life stage, her sense of productivity . . . my wish for her was that she would continue. continue to be as fierce and as feisty and as faithful as she has always been. continue to inspire all those who know her, as she continues to inspire me. i love you, mom. you are a vision. a rare beauty. please, for my sake and for so many others’, continue . . .
for this mother’s day weekend, i re-dedicate “continue” to my mom, and i also send it to you as a dose of written courage . . . that you might continue keeping the faith, fighting the fight, protecting, advocating, believing, creating, forgiving, loving, being.
in this world that aims to numb us and paralyze us with its lies, may we . . . continue. perhaps this might be the most revolutionary thing we could do.
“continue”
On the day of your birth
The Creator filled countless storehouses and
stockings
With rich ointments
Luscious tapestries
And antique coins of incredible value
Jewels worthy of a queen’s dowry
They were set aside for your use
Alone
Armed with faith and hope
And without knowing of the wealth which awaited
You broke through dense walls
of poverty
And loosed the chains of ignorance which
threatened to cripple you so that you
could walk
A Free Woman
Into a world which needed you
My wish for you
Is that you continue
Continue
To be who and how you are
To astonish a mean world
With your acts of kindness
Continue
To allow humor to lighten the burden
of your tender heart
Continue
In a society dark with cruelty
To let the people hear the grandeur
Of God in the peals of your laughter
Continue
To let your eloquence
Elevate the people to heights
They had only imagined
Continue
To remind the people that
Each is as good as the other
And that no one is beneath
Nor above you
Continue
To remember your own young years
And look with favor upon the lost
And the least and the lonely
Continue
To put the mantel of your protection
Around the bodies of
The young and defenseless
Continue
To take the hand of the despised
And diseased and walk proudly with them
In the high street
Some might see you and
Be encouraged to do likewise
Continue
To plant a public kiss of concern
On the cheek of the sick
And the aged and infirm
And count that as a
Natural action to be expected
Continue
To let gratitude be the pillow
Upon which you kneel to
Say your nightly prayer
And let faith be the bridge
You build to overcome evil
And welcome good
Continue
To ignore no vision
Which comes to enlarge your range
And increase your spirit
Continue
To dare to love deeply
And risk everything
For the good thing
Continue
To float
Happily in the sea of infinite substance
Which set aside riches for you
Before you had a name
Continue
And by doing so
You and your work
Will be able to continue
Eternally
(originally written as a birthday gift to Oprah Winfrey)
