TBT - The Great Ms. Maya Angelou
/
Throwback to Halloween when I recreated Ms. Angelou’s iconic photo. I had so much fun with this and to top it off, my 8 yr old was the photographer! Round of applause for my little man.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed reading. Library time was my favorite at school. Even when my teachers would have story time, I was eager to listen to them read whatever book they had chosen, especially my 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Martin. She stuttered but that didn’t stop her from being animated and bringing all the characters to life with her dramatic voice changes. To this day, I have yet to encounter a better storyteller. Well done, Mrs. Martin! (Wherever you are)
Book fairs were another favorite of mine. I would harass my parents to no end for money for the book fair. FYI, my children don’t have that problem. I’m always just as excited, if not more, to go to their book fairs and spend way more than I should on whatever they choose. But that’s just how it’s always been. Whenever books were involved, I was down for the cause. All throughout middle and high school, I can remember reading everything from V.C. Andrews to R.L. Stine...and don’t judge me; R.L. Stine’s Fear Street series was legit. Goosebumps…eh, that was another story.
So, there I was one fine day, minding my own business, enjoying my Fear Street book in my senior year of high school, when my older sister saw me and clowned me to shame, telling me that I was waaaaay too old to be reading kid’s books.
The audacity.
We laugh about it now but I was highly offended at the time and she couldn’t have cared less. She immediately dropped Rosalyn McMillan’s One Better in my lap and left the room without blinking an eye.
Salty as I was…
I read it….
and…
I loved it.
From that moment on, it was Eric Jerome Dickey, Rosalyn McMillan, Terry McMillan, Zane (I was definitely still too young to be reading her books…still am), and several others. I had been introduced to a whole new literary world. So long, Mr. Stine! (Though I still have his books in the teen section of my home library) I don’t care! I don’t! I don’t care!
Then entered Ms. Maya Angelou.
I had already seen I know Why The Caged Bird Sings—the 1979 film based on Ms. Angelou’s same-titled autobiography—as a child thanks to my overly mature big sister who mind you, is only 14 months older than I am. I still don’t know how she became so cultured. I mean, weren’t we just watching Punky Brewster together the other day? Did I mention that she’s also an amazing writer but decided to go into the medical field instead?
Blasphemy!
Kidding—essential workers matter. Thanks for your service, Sis. Don’t y’all come for me.
Continuing on…after being traumatized—because I was traumatized—by Ms. Angelou’s life story, from then on, she remained in the back of my mind. Fast forward several years, Poetic Justice hit the scene. Of course I had to watch it because—well, you know…2Pac.
Nuff said.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that Ms. Angelou’s poems were featured in the movie. She also made an appearance in the family reunion scene. She was the only writer whose persona piqued my interest during my younger years. I would have much rather read any one of her autobiographies or books of poetry in English class over Lord of the Flies and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Lord, don’t get me started). She is the one who has impacted my childhood more than any other writer, the one who still brings a smile to my face at the mention of her name.
Oddly enough, I don’t have a favorite writer. There is no one out there whose work I love in its entirety. I admire many and have a fondness for several, but no favorites. The most influential, however, has definitely been Ms. Maya Angelou. It is a privilege to have been graced with the gift that was her and it was an honor to pay homage.
Cheers to you, Queen! Rest well.
Always love and blessings,
Tamarria
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive, and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”
