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pagansphinx · 2 months

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Black History Month

Maya Angelou (American, 1928-2014)

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.

I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

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 woma

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.

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.

#american women #maya anjelou #poet #essayist #black woman wrirer #american writer #african american woman of letters #poetry #contemporary poetry #american poetry #still i rise

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beforevenice · 9 months

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The idea, I decided, is not to think. But how do you stop thinking?

// Charles Bukowski

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the-cricket-chirps · 29 days

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Andy Warhol, Truman Capote, 1979

Interview Magazine, (Truman Capote), July 1979.

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classicbooks101 · 2 months

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A true war story is never about war. It's about sunlight. It's about the special way that dawn spreads out on a river when you know you must cross the river and march into the mountains and do things you are afraid to do. It's about love and memory. It's about sorrow. It's about sisters who never write back and people who never listen.

The Things They Carried, Tim O'Brien

#the things they carried #tim obrien #books #quotes #book quotes #book quote #bookworm #american novels #american writer #read this #war #war books #literature #classic books #classic literature #classic quotes #classic novels

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tmarshconnors · 3 months

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"Truth is as terrible as death but harder to find."

Philip Kindred Dick, often referred to by his initials PKD, was an American science fiction writer. He wrote 44 novels and about 121 short stories, most of which appeared in science fiction magazines during his lifetime.

Born: 16 December 1928, Chicago, Illinois, United States

Died: 2 March 1982, Santa Ana, California, United States

Influential Works: Philip K. Dick's impact on science fiction is profound, with several of his works adapted into popular films. "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" served as the basis for the iconic film "Blade Runner," directed by Ridley Scott. The movie's success helped cement Dick's reputation in mainstream culture.

Personal Struggles: Dick faced numerous personal challenges throughout his life, including financial difficulties and mental health issues. His struggles with mental health and experiences with hallucinations and visions heavily influenced his writing, contributing to the surreal and introspective nature of many of his works.

Prolific Output: Despite his personal challenges, Dick maintained a remarkably prolific writing career. He wrote 44 novels and over 100 short stories during his lifetime. His ability to produce imaginative and thought-provoking content at such a high volume is a testament to his dedication to the craft of writing.

Philosophical Themes: Dick's works often explore philosophical and metaphysical themes, challenging the boundaries of reality and identity. Questions about what is real, the nature of consciousness, and the impact of technology on humanity are recurring motifs in his stories, reflecting his deep interest in these subjects.

Posthumous Recognition: While he faced financial struggles during his lifetime, Philip K. Dick gained increased recognition after his death. His influence on science fiction literature and the exploration of complex philosophical ideas have earned him a lasting legacy. The Philip K. Dick Award, established in 1982, is given annually to outstanding science fiction works in paperback original format, honoring his contributions to the genre.

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k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9 · 2 years

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Edgar Allan Poe

#Edgar Allan Poe #poet #writer #American writer #literary critic #poetry #short stories #Romanticism #detective fiction #American literature

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nevzatboyraz44 · 2 years

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American writer Najla Tammy Kepler, who was born and raised in a Christian family, converted to Islam and described the process of becoming a Muslim in her book titled "Journey from Texas to Truth", said, "For 3 years, I prayed to Allah to guide me. 3 years later, God showed me that way. A book given to me changed my life completely. It was a book to be read in half an hour. But I read for days. Allah, prayer, fasting, ihsan; I learned a lot of concepts. And I met Mohammed. This completely changed my life. I found what I was looking for and I was happy.”

قالت الكاتبة الأمريكية نجلاء تامي كيبلر ، التي ولدت وترعرعت في أسرة مسيحية ، اعتنقت الإسلام ووصفت عملية التحول إلى الإسلام في كتابها بعنوان "رحلة من تكساس إلى الحقيقة" ، وقالت: "لمدة 3 سنوات دعوت الله. ليوجهني. بعد 3 سنوات ، أراني الله بهذه الطريقة. كتاب أُعطي لي غيّر حياتي تمامًا. كان كتابا نقرأه في نصف ساعة. لكني أقرأ لأيام. الله ، صلاة ، صوم ، إحسان. لقد تعلمت الكثير من المفاهيم. و قابلت محمد. هذا غير حياتي بالكامل. لقد وجدت ما كنت أبحث عنه وكنت سعيدًا ".

Hristiyan bir ailede doğup büyüdükten sonra İslam'ı seçen ve Müslüman olma sürecini "Teksas'tan Hakikate Yolculuk" isimli kitapta anlatan ABD'li yazar Najla Tammy Kepler, ''3 yıl Allah'a bana bir yol göstermesi için dua etmiştim. 3 yıl sonra Allah o yolu bana gösterdi. Bana hediye edilen bir kitap tümden hayatımı değiştirdi. Yarım saatte okunacak bir kitaptı. Ama günlerce okudum. Allah, namaz, oruç, ihsan; bir sürü kavramı öğrendim. Ve Hz. Muhammed'i tanıdım. Bu tümden hayatımı değiştirdi. Aradığımı bulmuştum ve mutluydum.'' dedi.

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arsanimarum · 1 year

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Julia C.R. Dorr, i go to prepare a place for you

#julia c.r. dorr #julia dorr #literature #bibliophile #poetry #upload #quotes #poem #lit #classic literature #literary #american writer #american poets #american literature #american poetry #caroline ripley

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ifelllikeastar · 1 year

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If life were but a dream, my Love, And death the waking time; If day had not a beam, my Love, And night had not a rhyme, A barren, barren world were this, Without one saving gleam; I’d only ask that with a kiss, You’d wake me from the dream. If dreaming were the sum of days, And loving were the bane; If battling for a wreath of bays, Could soothe a heart in pain, I’d scorn the meed of battle’s might, All other aims above I’d choose the human’s higher right, To suffer and to love!

~ Paul Laurence Dunbar died February 9, 1906 at the age of 33.

#paul laurence dunbar #poetry #love #ohio #american writer #black lives #poet #black history month #february

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bandiera--rossa · 2 years

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“We are people of color living in an age where the consciousness of our intended slaughter is all around us. People of color are increasingly expendable, our government policy both here and abroad. We are operating under a government that is ready to repeat the tragedy of Vietnam in El Salvador and Nicaragua, a government that is on the wrong side of every single battle for liberation taking place on this globe; a government that invaded and conquered the 53-square-mile sovereign state of Grenada, under the pretext that its 110,000 people pose a threat to the United States.

Our newspapers are filled with alleged human rights concern in white Communist Poland as we sanitize with military acceptance and offerings the systematic genocide of apartheid in South Africa, murder and torture in Haiti and EI Salvador. American advisory teams strengthen repressive governments across Central and South America and Haiti, while the warning is just a code name that precedes military aid. The decisions to cut aid to the terminally ill, the elderly, dependent children, food stamps, even school canteens, are made by men with full stomachs who live in comfortable homes with two cars and a thousand tax shields.

None of them go to bed hungry at night. Recently, it has been suggested that seniors are hired to work in atomic plants because they are still near the end of their lives. Can any of us here still afford to believe that efforts to reclaim the future can be private or individual? Can anyone here still afford to believe that the pursuit of liberation may be the one and particular province of a particular race, sex, age, religion, sexuality or class?”.

Audre Lorde - “Learning from the 60s” - 1982.

#Audre Lorde #american writer #civil rights #classism #american imperialism

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sadness26sworld · 9 months

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