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"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely in the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."
Maya Angelou 



Maya Angelou is one of the most famous poets and writers of the present century. Her body of work is prolific - seven autobiographies, three books of essays, many volumes of poetry and also lists of movies, TV series and plays.



She is quoted by millions, and her quotes bring hope and good cheer, along with a sense of confidence and determination to all those who make a friend of her.

"Without courage we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous or honest."
Maya Angelou

Her most famous works include poems like 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings', 'Phenomenal Woman' and 'Still I Rise'.

She is considered one of the foremost African- American creative voices of the century.

Her sense of humour comes out in the poem "When I Think About Myself''.

When I think about myself, 
I almost laugh myself to death, 
My life has been one great big joke, 
A dance that's walked 
A song that's spoke, 
I laugh so hard I almost choke 
When I think about myself.


Sixty years in these folks' world 
The child I works for calls me girl 
I say 'Yes ma'am' for working's sake. 
Too proud to bend 
Too poor to break, 
I laugh until my stomach ache, 
When I think about myself.



My folks can make me split my side, 
I laughed so hard I nearly died, 
The tales they tell, sound just like lying, 
They grow the fruit, 
But eat the rind, 
I laugh until I start to crying, 
When I think about my folks. 

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