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Phenomenal Woman
a fashion model’s size,” she still possesses a unique, mysterious
SUMMARY allure. She calls this “her inner mystery”—something that no
one can precisely define or identify, but that everyone can
The speaker refers to an elusive "secret" about herself that
perceive on some level.
conventionally attractive women struggle to understand. She
explains that she doesn't look like the models glorified by the On the one hand, the speaker explicitly rejects narrow physical
fashion industry, and that when she stars to reveal her secret ideals of feminine beauty. For instance, she says her beauty lies
these other women don't believe her. The speaker claims that in things like “the reach of my arms / The span of my hips.” She's
her beauty is manifested in her wide hips, her confident gait, not a tiny, wispy fashion model, but that doesn't mean she's not
and her smile. She's an extraordinary woman. When you think attractive.
of an extraordinary woman, that's the speaker. Even more importantly, the speaker repeatedly insists that her
Whenever the speaker calmly walks into a room, every single beauty lies in the way she carries herself—in her self-assured
man present desperately competes for her attention. These "stride," her bright smile, her grace, and her bold posture. All
men are drawn to the speaker, buzzing around her like honey these things make her a "phenomenal woman"—that is, an
bees. This is because her passion for life manifests in her extraordinary, spectacular woman. The speaker thus argues
physical appearance—in her flashing eyes, her vibrant smile, the that true beauty stems from loving yourself, rather than trying
way her waist sways as she walks, and the happy lightness in to meet a certain standard and then feeling bad about yourself
her step. She again declares that she's an extraordinary woman. when you can't.
When you think of an extraordinary woman, that's the speaker. Indeed, the speaker declares that such self-acceptance is
Men have also asked themselves what it is about the speaker exactly what makes her so irresistible. Whenever she enters a
that makes her so attractive. But no matter how hard they try room, she says men “swarm around" her like a "hive of honey
to pin down the speaker's mysterious appeal, they can't come bees," drawn to her passion for life and unconditional self-love.
close. Even when she tries to reveal her secret to these men, She describes the “fire in [her] eyes” and the “joy in [her] feet”
they just don't get it. The speaker says that her beauty exists in as being part of her allure, further supporting the idea that her
the way she carries herself—in her confident posture; her attractiveness comes from her refusal to feel let society fill her
bright, sunny smile; the shape of her breasts; and her elegant with any sort of shame about who she is or what she looks like.
style. She's an extraordinary woman. When you think of an Whereas society may expect women to be meek, demure, and
extraordinary woman, that's the speaker. apologetic about their supposed imperfections, the speaker
This, the speaker says, is why she insists on moving throughout refuses to belittle herself. As she says in the final stanza, “Now
the world confidently and boldly. She doesn't have to you understand / Just why my head’s not bowed,” concluding
overcompensate in any way or prove herself to anyone. In fact, that beauty is born out of radical self-acceptance and the self-
when other women see the speaker, they should be inspired to confidence that results from it.
be more confident themselves. The speaker's appeal exists in What's more, she says that her example out to make her
the way she struts in heels, in the way her hair falls, in the way audience "proud." In other words, other women should find
she holds out her hands, in the way others want her to care for inspiration in the speaker's confidence. Though the poem never
them. She's an extraordinary woman. When you think of an addresses race specifically, the fact that Angelou was a black
extraordinary woman, that's the speaker. woman writing when societal standards of beauty were often
inextricable from whiteness adds another powerful angle to
this message.
THEMES Ultimately, the poem says that instead of conforming to the
standards set by society, women should reconnect with their
BEAUTY AND SELF-ACCEPTANCE own value and find validation from within. All women are
“Phenomenal Woman” challenges restrictive notions capable of being “phenomenal,” the poem implies, if they
of feminine beauty. The speaker rejects narrow embrace who they are instead of trying to fit in with arbitrary
societal beauty standards, and insists instead that real beauty social standards. In fact, the poem suggests that accepting and
comes from a place of self-confidence and self-acceptance. loving yourself is, in itself, an extraordinary act within a society
that promotes insecurity and self-loathing in women. It is this
The speaker opens the poem by referencing the “secret” to her
step towards unconditional self-love that makes a woman truly
appeal. She explains that though she is “not cute or built to suit
phenomenal.

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Though the poem overall is written in free vverse
erse, these opening
Where this theme appears in the poem:
lines are very steady in their meter. The first two lines are
• Lines 1-60 clearly trochaic (meaning they follow a stressed
stressed-unstressed
beat pattern), while lines 3 and 4 are iambic
(unstressed-stressed
stressed):
LINE-BY
LINE-BY-LINE
-LINE ANAL
ANALYSIS
YSIS Pret
Pretty | wom
women | wonwonder | where my | se secret | lies
lies.
LINES 1-4 I’m not | cute or | built to | suit a | fash
fashion | mod
model’s |
size
Pretty women wonder ... But when | I start | to tell | them
them,
... I’m telling lies. They think | I’m tel
tel- | ling lies
lies.
The speaker opens with a reference to the "secret" of her own
beauty, claiming that "pretty women" want to understand how (Note that, in line 2, "I'm not" could also be scanned differently;
the speaker can be so alluring without being considered it's ambiguous). Overall, this adds a bouncy, steady rhythm to
conventionally attractive. The speaker explains that she may the poem's opening—one that will noticeably be shaken up in
not meet social definitions of "cute" and that she doesn't fit the the second part of the stanza when the speaker begins talking
expected mold of what an attractive woman is supposed to look about her unique appeal.
like.
LINES 5-9
She specifically calls out the fashion industry, making note of
the fact that she doesn't have the tall, skinny build of a model. I say, ...
On a formal level, note how this line is the longest in the ... of my lips.
poem—a visual refutation of the idea that the speaker must Here the speaker begins to explain the substance of her
shrink herself down to fit the fashion world's ideal of feminine "secret," which was alluded to in the preceding lines. The phrase
beauty. "I say" is given its own line, lending gravity and authority to the
Notably, the speaker claims that when she explains her secret speaker's subsequent proclamation.
to these women, they believe she is "telling lies." This suggests The next four lines have a clear par
parallel
allel structure that makes
that rigid definitions of beauty are so ingrained in women that use of anaphor
anaphoraa to create a smooth, lyrical flow as the speaker
they struggle to believe any alternative perspective, even when describes how her beauty is manifested in every fiber of her
it's coming from another woman. By touching on women's being:
visceral rejection of the truth, the speaker subtly reveals the
profound psychological impact that cultural conditioning has on The [noun related to measurement] of m
myy [body
body image and self-perception. party]
These "pretty women" have internalized the attitudes of a
society that glorifies the supermodel physique as the ideal to The asyndeton between lines here also makes it feels as though
such an extent that they are blinded to the truth. In this sense, this list could go on and on—that there are endless attributes
the speaker attempts to refute and deconstruct the harmful the speaker could bring up that illustrate her beauty. The end-
models of beauty that warp women's understanding of the stops
stops, meanwhile, again reinforce the speaker's authority and
world and themselves. confidence throughout, lending an air of assuredness to every
line.
The first four lines of the poem feature intense alliteration and
consonance of the /w/, /t/, /s/, /l/, and hard /k/ sounds: These lines are again filled with sonic devices as well, including
alliteration, consonance, and rhyme. Note the many /s/, /p/, / t/,
Prett
tty women wonder wh where my seccrett lies. and /l/ sounds throughout:
I’m nott cutte or builtt to suitt a fashion model’s size
But when I st start to tellll th
them, The sp
span of my hips ps,
Th
They th
think I’m telllling lies. The st
stride of my ststep
p,
The curll of my lips
ps.
There's also assonance here, such as can be seen in the internal
rh
rhyme
yme between "cute" and "suit." This opening chunk features a These shared sounds, plus the rhyme between "hips" and "lips,"
clear AABA rhrhyme
yme scheme as well, with "lies" in line 1 rhyming create a sensation of cohesiveness, of a speaker fully in control
perfectly with "size" in line 2 and "lies" again in line 4. The first of her language.
four lines of the poem are thus intensely musical, suggesting It's also worth noting that, rather than focusing on specific
the beauty and confidence of the speaker's voice itself. physical attributes, the speaker emphasizes relatively

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nonspecific features that are shared among all women. For says, "I'm a woman / Phenomenally," she underscores how
example, she claims that her beauty lies "in the reach of my every aspect of her existence constitutes her womanhood and
arms" without mentioning anything particular about the that her beauty cannot be reduced to superficial standards
appearance of her arms. This lack of specificity in the speaker's (such as body weight). It is this attitude of self-acceptance
self-description will continue throughout the poem, signaling towards her body that leads to her identification as a
the speaker's desire to make a universal statement about "phenomenal woman," a status that she continually reinforces
women's beauty through the lens of her own experiences. with the simple proclamation, "That's me."
While this self-description does not delve into specific physical The speaker's relationship with her body, and how that informs
characteristics, it still reflects the speaker's character and the her identity, continues to be developed throughout the course
elements that make her beautiful. The "reach" of her arms of the poem. Thus the refrain serves as an undercurrent of
invokes the image of someone who is reaching out and strives confidence and pride that captures the speaker's core
to connect and bond with other people. She embraces the personality. As the poem progresses, it will become increasingly
"span" of her hips, hinting at the fact that women naturally have clear that this type of self-love lies at the heart of the speaker's
wider hips and that it is nothing to be ashamed of. elusive "secret."
This speaker makes it clear that she does not turn away from LINES 14-20
markers of her own womanhood. She celebrates the "stride" of
her step and the "curl"—implying the smile—of her lips, I walk into ...
symbolizing her confidence and self-assurance. The speaker is ... of honey bees.
proud of who she is, and this pride permeates each aspect of The speaker describes a scenario where she walks into a group
this initial self-description as well as the self-descriptions that full of men and they respond with one of two reactions: they
take place in subsequent stanzas. enthusiastically stand up to greet her, or they fall to their knees
in astonishment. This is clearly a humorous use of hyperbole
LINES 10-13 meant to emphasize how attractive the speaker is to men.
I’m a woman ... In a sense, then, this stanza functions as a counterargument to
... That’s me. the idea that rejecting superficial standards of beauty
This set of lines establish the refr
refrain
ain that occurs at the end of inevitably results in a woman being less attractive. The speaker
each stanza in the poem. As the refrain, it is pivotal to turns this idea on its head by suggesting that, if anything, her
understanding how the speaker views herself and her position carefree attitude makes her more attractive to men, so much so
in the world. that they are metaphorically "swarming" around her like a "hive
"Phenomenal" means remarkable, exceptional, extraordinary. of honey bees."
As such, the speaker insists not just that she is as womanly as The imagery in these lines is striking and vivid, allowing the
any other woman, but in fact that she is a truly special, reader to imagine the speaker being surrounded by admirers
spectacular woman. the instant she walks into the room. While this is undoubtedly
The specific construction of the refrain is important, as it uses an embellishment, it demonstrates the degree of confidence
chiasmus and polyptoton to enrich its meaning. the speaker has in herself. If this is how she feels when she
walks into a room full of men, that self-perception is arguably
First, the chiasmus. If you assign each meaningful chunk of the
more important than anything else. She is, in her words, "as cool
refrain a letter, you'll notice that it moves in an ABBA pattern:
as you please" because she has nothing to be self-conscious
about. She knows that men will be drawn to her, and that
I’m a woman A
knowledge becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Phenomenally. B
Phenomenal woman, B The assonance of these lines lends them a particularly musical,
That’s me. A jazzy tone. Note the /oo/, /a/, and long /ee/ sounds throughout:

In other words, lines 10 and 13 essentially say that same thing, Just as coo
ool as you
ou plea
ease,
as do lines 11 and 12. This adds a sense of inevitable, sound And to a maan,
logic to the speaker's argument. Not only does she The fellows staand or
"phenomenally" exhibit the qualities that define a woman, but if Fall down on their knee
ees.
you were to look up the definition of "phenomenal woman" in Then they swarm around mee,
the dictionary, you'd see a picture of the speaker. A hive of honeey bee
ees.
The use of polyptoton, in the repetition of "phenomenal" as
There's also again strong consonance and alliteration here,
both an adverb and adjective, is also striking. When the speaker
particularly of the /m/, /n/, /f/, /l/, and /th/ sounds:

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An
nd to a man n, like the women who think the speaker is "telling lies," the men
The fellllows stannd or struggle to grasp her secret despite her efforts to explain it to
Fallll downn on
n th
their kn
knees. them. Both men and women are influenced by social norms that
Th
Then th they swarm m aroun
nd me, dictate what a beautiful woman should look like, and these
A hive of hon ney bees. norms can form the basis of men's expectations about women.
The men's confusion seems to lie in the fact that the speaker
The intricate sounds here further reflect the speaker's mastery defies these expectations by being attractive without
over her lines, which in turn reflects her mastery over the resembling a supermodel or actress. This continues to build on
room. the concept of men and women being blinded to the truth
behind real beauty while, paradoxically, being able to recognize
LINES 21-29
the real beauty of the speaker when they see it. In a subtle
I say, ... manner, the speaker suggests that exposure to these ideals
... That’s me. disconnects people from the truth about their own bodies and
Once again, the speaker describes the personal qualities that what makes people truly beautiful.
make her so attractive and alluring. Again, "I say" is given its As the poem has progressed, the speaker has made it
own line, reiterating the force of the speaker's voice: she increasingly clear that her beauty is the culmination of her
declares what's true. entire being. It is not limited to a specific trait or metric, but
The description in this set of lines focuses on the speaker's rather a complex interplay between all the aspects of her being
passionate and vibrant personality. She describes the "fire" in that make her the phenomenal woman that she is.
her eyes and the "flash" of her teeth, two description that imply The rh
rhyme
yme scheme further supports this idea of
eye-catching intensity. This connection is enhanced by the interconnection. The rhyming between "me," "mystery," and
alliter
alliterativ
ativee /f/ sound in these words. "see" and the rhyme between "much" and "touch" all serve to
Her personality is further characterized by great energy and link the verses together into a harmonious whole. This sense of
exuberance, as she describes the "swing" in her waist and the harmony matches the peace that the speaker feels within her
"joy" in her feet. All of these descriptions emphasize movement own being, the peace that lies at the heart of her "inner
and represent a woman who is full of life and constantly in mystery."
motion.
LINES 37-45
While the speaker claims that her liveliness and love for life has
the effect of attracting men, the larger point is that the speaker I say, ...
is happy and fulfilled in her own right. She does not seek ... That’s me.
validation or approval by conforming to society's standards. The speaker reiterates her pattern of self-description. Once
Instead, she lives life on her terms, and the happiness that again, the speaker expounds on the facets of her "inner
results from this practice has the added benefit of making her mystery" by describing the qualities that make her uniquely
more attractive to men. beautiful. She describes the "arch" of her back and the "sun" of
The speaker returns to the refr
refrain
ain established in the first her smile, portraying herself as having a strong backbone while
stanza, emphasizing how this personal attitude contributes to also being cheerful.
her life as a "phenomenal woman." In a society that conditions Embracing her curves and class, the speaker also celebrates the
women to feel insecure about themselves and their bodies, the "ride" of her breasts and the "grace" of her style. This word
speaker's self-confidence is genuinely phenomenal. In this choice invokes the image of someone who is elegant, poised,
sense, self-love can be considered an act of resistance against a and simply a joy to be around.
society that systematically instills shame and insecurity in The assonance of the long /i/ sound and sibilance of these lines
women. lends them a calm, leisurely quality—suggesting the speaker
knows she doesn't have to shout or loudly declare her worth; it
LINES 30-36
simply exists:
Men themselves have ...
... still can’t see. The sun of myy smiile,
The speaker explains that it's not just "pretty women" who The riide of myy breasstss,
wonder about her "secret"; men are just as mystified by the The gracce of my styyle.
nature of her allure. Interestingly, she claims that these men
"can't touch / My inner mystery," further reinforcing the idea The speaker then returns to the refr
refrain
ain, implying that the grace
that her beauty is more than the sum of her physical parts. Just with which she moves through the world reinforces her status

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as a "phenomenal woman." overwhelming tied to whiteness (as, indeed, they unfortunately
The exposition in these lines helps to weave all of the elements still often are) adds yet another layer of defiance and power to
of a "phenomenal woman" together. The speaker believes that this message.
she is a phenomenal woman not because of any particular LINES 52-60
attribute that distinguishes her from other women, but
because she fully embraces and celebrates who she is as a I say, ...
person. Her beauty is born directly out of this unconditional ... That’s me.
sense of self-love and self-acceptance. The love and respect The speaker concludes the poem with a final round of self-
that the speaker has for herself informs her social relationships description combined with the refr
refrain
ain. She emphasizes her
and, in turn, how other people perceive her. lively personality as she references "the click" of her heels and
The greater point in all of this is that these results are all the the "bend" of her hair, highlighting the movement and energy
consequence of how the speaker feels about herself. Instead of that was described in prior stanzas.
looking outward for validation and approval, the speaker She also mentions what she has to offer the world in the more
chooses to love herself unconditionally, and this ultimately general sense, citing the "need for my care." This is a statement
inspires other people's admiration of her. that can extend to women more broadly, as women are more
likely to be the primary caregivers in their families. The speaker
LINES 46-51 hints at the essential role of women as mothers and caregivers
Now you understand ... in order to extend her message as an invitation to all women to
... make you proud. recognize and embrace their worth as human beings. This line
The speaker's explanation of what it means to be a could also be read as the speaker suggesting how society wants
"phenomenal woman" comes full circle here. The speaker talks her to care about what it thinks of her.
directly to the reader, saying, "Now you understand / Just why The speaker then returns to the poem's powerful refr refrain
ain. The
my head's not bowed." speaker encourages other women to stop doubting their worth
This is in reference to the feelings of self-love and self- and start living life on their own terms, freed from the burden
acceptance that she has been expanding on throughout the of unhealthy social attitudes. It is this mindset, above all else,
poem. She explains that this self-love breeds a level of that creates a phenomenal woman.
confidence that eliminates insecurity and allows her to be
authentically herself. Society might expect a woman like the
speaker do be quiet and demure, to try to take up as little space
POETIC DEVICES
as possible. But the speaker rejects that; instead, she holds her
PARALLELISM
head up high.
Not only is this poem brimming with examples of parparallelism
allelism,
At the same time, the speaker says that she does not have to
but Angelou uses parallelism to form the overall organizational
"shout or jump about" in order to get noticed. She does not
structure of the poem. Every stanza is a mirror image of
"have to talk real loud" in order to get her point across or to feel
another: the first few lines provide a scenario that the speaker
heard.
then consistently responds to. The response is structured the
The speaker's self-confidence is so powerful that she expects same way in every stanza, beginning with the line "I say" which
other people to feel pride at the sight of her passing by! While is then followed by the speaker's self-description. Each stanza
this statement is another example of hyperbole within the is also concluded by a refr
refrain
ain that remains unchangeable from
poem, it effectively demonstrates the confidence that the beginning to end.
speaker has in herself and how this confidence manifests in her
The overarching structure of this description remains the same
social interactions. She isn't concerned about how people
throughout the poem as well, drawing heavily on devices like
respond to her because she knows her worth and she knows
anaphor
anaphoraa and asyndeton to establish a sense of consistency.
people should feel pride at the sight of her, and that's all that
When the speaker describes herself, the lines follow nearly the
matters. For the speaker, how she feels about herself is of the
exact same pattern each time:
utmost importance, and everything else will follow.
This phrase can also be taken as the speaker talking directly to I say,
other women, and insisting that they should not feel jealous or It's in the [noun] of my [feature],
intimidated by her but rather should learn from her example. The [noun] of my [feature],
They should be proud to see a woman walking with such
confidence. Knowing that Angelou herself was a black woman And so forth. The parallelism on the one hand simply drives the
writing a time when social beauty standards were poem's message home through repetition
repetition. It also suggests that

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the speaker could just keep going and going—easily swapping in
Where Anaphor
Anaphoraa appears in the poem:
various features into these lines. That's because there isn't one
singular element of herself that makes her phenomenal; rather, • Line 6: “It’s in the”
they all do, all together. She is not reducible to her parts. • Line 7: “The”
• Line 8: “The”
Where P
Par
arallelism
allelism appears in the poem: • Line 9: “The”
• Line 22: “It’s the”
• Lines 5-13: “I say, / It’s in the reach of my arms, / The • Line 23: “And the”
span of my hips, / The stride of my step, / The curl of my • Line 24: “The”
lips. / I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / Phenomenal • Line 25: “And the”
woman, / That’s me.” • Line 38: “It’s in the”
• Lines 21-29: “I say, / It’s the fire in my eyes, / And the • Line 39: “The”
flash of my teeth, / The swing in my waist, / And the joy in
• Line 40: “The”
my feet. / I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / Phenomenal
• Line 41: “The”
woman, / That’s me.”
• Line 53: “It’s in the”
• Lines 37-45: “I say, / It’s in the arch of my back, / The sun
• Line 54: “The”
of my smile, / The ride of my breasts, / The grace of my
• Line 55: “the”
style. / I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / Phenomenal
• Line 56: “The”
woman, / That’s me.”
• Lines 52-60: “I say, / It’s in the click of my heels, / The
bend of my hair, / the palm of my hand, / The need for my REFRAIN
care. / ’Cause I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / The same refr
refrain
ain occurs at the end of each stanza and is pivotal
Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.” to understanding the speaker's perception of herself. This
refrain, of course, is:
ANAPHORA
Anaphor
Anaphoraa is tied to the poem's use of par
parallelism
allelism, and pops up I’m a woman
prominently in the middle section of each stanza when the Phenomenally.
speaker describes her various features. The speaker states that Phenomenal woman,
her "secret" is represented by various features, and each That’s me.
feature is introduced into the stanza through the same basic
grammatical structure. The speaker's use of the word "phenomenal" has two functions.
First, when she describes qualities that are visual and tangible,
This is established in the opening stanza when the speaker
this connects to the definition of "phenomenal" as something
says:
related to sensory experience. Second, the speaker is also
simply stating that she is "phenomenal" in that she is a
It's in the reach of my arms, remarkable or extraordinary person. This dual function
The span of my hips, pervades the poem as the speaker draws on sensory details to
The stride of my step, emphasize her identity as a remarkable woman.
The curl of my lips.
On a thematic level, the refrain demonstrates how the speaker
The consistent use of anaphora throughout these lines and understands her own womanhood and beauty. She believes
throughout every other self-description in the poem supports that her beauty cannot be reduced to any single metric or
the poem's overall symmetry. The reader can see how every attribute, and that the source of real beauty is self-love and
aspects of this woman's being contributes to her "inner self-acceptance. This belief system is inextricably tied with her
mystery" in equally important ways, whether it is "the fire" in identity as a phenomenal woman.
her eyes or "the sun" of her smile. Thus the refrain provides a constant affirmation of the
The presence of anaphora, both throughout each stanza and speaker's confidence in herself and her position in the world.
the entire poem, links the complex interplay of qualities (that The refrain runs like a river through the poem, connecting all of
make the speaker a phenomenal woman) into a greater whole. the speaker's various experiences into a larger personality that
In this way, the reader can appreciate why the speaker's beauty is characterized by not only unyielding self-confidence, but the
(and by extension, all women's beauty) should be celebrated endless self-empowerment that results from it.
regardless of whether or not her body fits a specific ideal.
Where Refr
Refrain
ain appears in the poem:

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• Lines 10-13: “I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / • Line 11: “Phenomenally”

Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.” • Line 13: “me”
• Lines 26-29: “I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / • Line 14: “room”
Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.” • Line 15: “cool,” “you,” “please”
• Lines 42-45: “I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / • Line 16: “And,” “to,” “man”
Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.” • Line 17: “stand”
• Lines 57-60: “’Cause I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / • Line 18: “knees”
Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.” • Line 19: “me”
• Line 20: “bees”
ASSONANCE • Line 22: “fire,” “eyes”
• Line 23: “teeth”
The speaker uses assonance in every stanza throughout the
• Line 25: “feet”
poem, especially in the middle sections when she describes her
• Line 27: “Phenomenally”
various features. Broadly speaking, this assonance contributes
• Line 29: “me”
to the poem's sense of rhythm and its musicality. This is a very
• Line 30: “Men,” “themselves”
melodic, beautiful sounding poem, which makes sense given its
• Line 31: “see,” “me”
content.
• Line 32: “much”
Assonance is of course part of the many rhyme sounds in the • Line 33: “touch”
poem, and also creates internal rh rhymes
ymes within lines themselves. • Line 34: “mystery”
In the first stanza, for example, assonance of the long /i/ sound • Line 36: “see”
connects "lieies" and "siize," and also contributes to the rhyme • Line 38: “my”
between "cu ute" and "suiuit" in line 2. • Line 39: “my,” “smile”
Sometimes assonance reflects thematic ideas in the poem. For • Line 40: “ride,” “my”
instance, the long /ee/ of "Phenomenallyy" in the poem's refr
refrain
ain • Line 41: “my,” “style”
chimes with "mee," emphasizing the remarkable nature of the • Line 43: “Phenomenally”
speaker herself. Often, though, the assonance is more about • Line 45: “me”
creating a sense of music in the poem. Note the jazzy feel of • Line 47: “bowed”
lines 14-20, created through shared vowel sounds: • Line 48: “shout,” “about”
• Line 49: “loud”
• Line 50: “see,” “me”
I walk into a roo
oom
• Line 51: “proud”
Just as coo
ool as you
ou plea
ease,
• Line 54: “hair”
And too a maan,
• Line 56: “care”
The fellows staand or
• Line 58: “Phenomenally”
Fall down on their kneeees.
• Line 60: “me”
Then they swarm around mee,
A hive of honey beeees.
METAPHOR
The sounds of the poem blend together and reverberate off This is not an overly metaphorical poem, though there is a
each other without becoming too orderly or predictable. The striking and important metaphor in the second stanza. Here the
speaker's lively personality is captured by a poem that is driven speaker describes the reaction of a group of men when she
by rhythm but freed from the strict confines of a consistent walks into the room. She claims that all the men will either
rhyme scheme. The poem's abundant and generous use of "stand" to greet her or "fall down on their knees." She goes so
assonance is one of the many ways in which it achieves this end far as to say that the men then "swarm around me" like a "hive
while maintaining a lyrical and thematic flow. of honey bees."
The speaker depicts a scene that is clearly an exaggeration
Where Assonance appears in the poem: intended for humorous effect, but more importantly, it
highlights the speaker's supreme confidence in herself and her
• Line 1: “lies”
appearance. The metaphor of men surrounding her like a
• Line 2: “cute,” “suit,” “size”
swarm of honey bees is powerful not because it is literally true,
• Line 4: “lies”
• Line 7: “hips” but because it is a direct reflection of how the speaker sees
• Line 9: “ lips” herself and the world around her. She is the queen bee, the one
in charge. The imagery behind her internal narrative speaks

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volumes about her level of confidence as she navigates the
world and social relationships. my waist,”
The speaker also sometimes speaks metaphorically regarding • Lines 38-41: “It’s in the arch of my back, / The sun of my
her various alluring attributes. When she talks about the "fire" smile, / The ride of my breasts, / The grace of my style.”
• Lines 53-56: “It’s in the click of my heels, / The bend of
in her eyes or the "sun" of her smile, she isn't speaking literally.
my hair, / the palm of my hand, / The need for my care.”
Instead, these references to light and fire reflect her
exuberance and joy. Her beauty is so bright and lovely that it
bestows light and warmth on those lucky enough to be in its CHIASMUS
presence. Chiasmus is an important part of the poem's refr
refrain
ain. When
breaking the refrain down into the ideas it conveys, it's easy to
Where Metaphor appears in the poem: see that it follows an ABBA structure. The first and last lines of
the refrain essentially repeat each other, as do the second and
• Lines 19-20: “Then they swarm around me, / A hive of third lines of the refrain:
honey bees.”
• Line 22: “It’s the fire in my eyes,”
I’m a woman A
• Line 39: “The sun of my smile,”
Phenomenally. B
Phenomenal woman, B
ASYNDETON That’s me. A
In "Phenomenal Woman," asyndeton is prominent in the
speaker's descriptions of herself that appear in the middle of By essentially repeating itself, the refrain adds extra emphasis
each stanza. In the beginning of each self-description, when the to speaker's assertion that she is "phenomenal." She saying that
speaker is explaining the nature of her "secret," she starts by she reflects all the attributes of womanhood, and also that all
saying "It's in the" and then lists of various features until those attributes are reflected in her. She at once enacts and
returning to the poem's refr
refrain
ain. creates what it means to be a remarkable woman.
Notably, asyndeton is applied in a consistent and similar way This idea is further supported by the polyptoton present in the
throughout the poem. In each instance, the use of asyndeton is refrain, found in the adverb "phenomenally" and the adjective
punctuated by commas and omits the same prepositional "phenomenal." This very slight tweak in verbiage matters. First
phrases. The use of asyndeton thus coincides with the poem's the speaker is saying that she expresses womanliness in a
application of anaphor
anaphoraa and par
parallelism
allelism, making it part of the remarkable, exceptional, wonderful way—that she does so
poem's larger organizational framework. "phenomenally."
Beyond this, asyndeton contributes to the poem's overall Next she says that the very concept of a "phenomenal woman"
rhythm and connects the elements of the speaker's beauty. The is embodied by the speaker herself. It's not just that she is like a
removal of certain prepositions allows the speaker's various phenomenal woman; a phenomenal woman should be like her.
qualities to blend together, representing the harmonious whole This reiterates the poem's emphasis on the important of self-
that constitutes her womanly beauty. The lack of conjunctions confidence and self-assuredness. The speaker isn't just
also makes it seem as if these various lists could continue on mirroring what society says a "phenomenal woman" should be;
indefinitely—that the speaker could just keep on adding to the that idea of a "phenomenal woman" is defined by the speaker
list of things that make her attractive. herself.
The asyndeton in the poem is also an example of par parataxis
ataxis;
these attributes are not ranked in any way, and the reader Where Chiasmus appears in the poem:
could switch around the order of these phrases without any
• Lines 10-13: “I’m a woman / Phenomenally. /
meaningful impact on the poem's argument. As such, asyndeton Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.”
and parataxis support the poem's idea that the speaker's • Lines 26-29: “I’m a woman / Phenomenally. /
beauty isn't limited to any singular physical trait or feature. Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.”
Instead, her beauty comes from her confidence in who she is as • Lines 42-45: “I’m a woman / Phenomenally. /
a whole. Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.”
• Lines 57-60: “’Cause I’m a woman / Phenomenally. /
Where Asyndeton appears in the poem: Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.”
• Lines 6-9: “It’s in the reach of my arms, / The span of my
hips, / The stride of my step, / The curl of my lips.” CONSONANCE
• Lines 23-24: “And the flash of my teeth, / The swing in This poem is filled with consonance and alliter
alliteration
ation, which work

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much like the poem's previously discussed use of assonance
assonance.
That is, sometimes these shared sounds serve to draw • Line 53: “click,” “heels”
connections between various thematic ideas in the poem, and • Line 54: “hair”
sometimes they simply add to the poem's intense lyricism and • Line 55: “hand”
musicality. The use of all these shared sounds suggests the • Line 56: “care”
speaker's control and mastery over her language, reiterating • Line 57: “Cause”
her self-assuredness and self-confidence.
Take the very first line of the poem, with the clear alliter
alliteration
ation of
/w/ sounds in "wwomen wonder wh where." This draws readers' VOCABULARY
attention to this phrase, emphasizing the fact that traditional
standards of beauty don't include the speaker herself. Span (Line 7) - The full extent of something from end to end.
Later, the consonance—more specifically, the sibilance
sibilance—of lines Stride (Line 8) - A long, decisive step.
39-41 reflect the speaker's calm, controlled demeanor as she Phenomenal (Line 11, Line 12, Line 27, Line 28, Line 43, Line
again describes various attributes that make her so alluring: 44, Line 58, Line 59) - Phenomenal refers to someone or
something that is remarkable or extraordinary; it also refers to
The sun of my smile, anything that is perceptible through the senses.
The ride of my breasstss, Swarm (Line 19) - Move somewhere in large numbers.
The gracce of my style.
Hive (Line 20) - A dome-shaped structure in which bees live.
The /s/ sounds (plus lots of assonance) add a smoothness to Mystery (Line 34) - Something that is difficult or impossible to
these lines, making the speaker's language as graceful as the explain.
speaker herself. Ride (Line 40) - "Ride" is used in a very specific way to refer to
the shape of the speaker's bosom.
Where Consonance appears in the poem: Grace (Line 41) - Simple elegance or refinement of movement.
• Line 1: “women wonder where,” “secret”
• Line 2: “not cute,” “built to suit,” “size”
• Lines 3-4: “start to tell them, / They think” FORM, METER, & RHYME
• Line 4: “telling lies”
• Line 6: “reach,” “my arms” FORM
• Line 7: “span,” “hips” As a (mostly) free vverse
erse poem, "Phenomenal Woman" is not
• Line 8: “stride,” “step” restricted to a particular form. The 60-line poem consists of
• Line 9: “lips” four stanzas that are all 14-16 lines long and all follow a similar
• Line 16: “And,” “man” structural pattern. Each stanza ends with the same four lines
• Line 17: “fellows,” “stand” that serve as a refr
refrain
ain throughout the poem.
• Line 18: “Fall,” “down on,” “their,” “knees”
All stanzas follow the same basic structure: the first few lines
• Line 19: “Then they swarm around me”
are original to the specific stanza at hand; the middle set of
• Line 20: “hive,” “honey”
lines describe the speaker's body; and the final four lines are
• Line 22: “fire”
marked by the poem's refrain. The middle set of lines in each
• Line 23: “flash”
stanza is further characterized by the ongoing use of anaphor
anaphoraa
• Line 24: “swing,” “waist”
and asyndeton
asyndeton, which creates a sense of consistency
• Line 25: “feet”
• Lines 30-31: “ wondered / What” throughout the poem.
• Line 32: “much” Thus, despite the fact that it doesn't follow any particular form,
• Line 33: “touch” "Phenomenal Woman" still demonstrates an established
• Line 36: “say,” “still,” “see” structural pattern that consistently draws on the same poetic
• Line 37: “say” devices. This pattern helps build and reinforce the themes that
• Line 39: “sun,” “my smile” develop throughout the course of the poem, providing
• Line 40: “breasts” extensive elaboration of the speaker's self-image and her
• Line 41: “grace,” “style” rejection of the status quo.
• Line 49: “to talk,” “real loud”
• Line 50: “see,” “passing” METER
• Line 51: “proud” This poem does not have an established meter. It does have a

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loose rh
rhyme
yme scheme
scheme, which means it's not technically pure free
verse
erse, but it's still quite unpredictable. The meter fluctuates SPEAKER
significantly throughout the poem, with line length varying
The speaker in this poem makes herself known through the
greatly as well.
self-referential title, "Phenomenal Woman." Throughout the
Some lines do have a clear meter, though, and the poem relies a poem, the speaker presents herself as an exuberant and lively
lot on trochees (stressed
stressed-unstressed) and iambs woman who has full confidence in her worth, regardless of
(unstressed-stressed
stressed). For example, lines 1-2 are filled with what anyone else thinks.
consistent trochees, while lines 3 and 4 are purely iambic:
Rather than being insecure about the standards that society
imposes upon her, the speaker embraces herself as she is. The
Pret
Pretty | wom
women | wonwonder | where my | se secret | lies
lies.
speaker feels beautiful despite not strictly conforming to
I’m not | cute or | built to | suit a | fash
fashion | mod
model’s |
common beauty standards. She does not care about fitting
size
society's mold and she would rather embrace the qualities that
But when | I start | to tell | them
them,
make her extraordinary and set her apart. The speaker knows
They think | I’m tel
tel- | ling lies
lies.
her value and her beauty; nothing and no one can take that
away from her.
("I'm not" in line 2 could arguably be scanned differently
without changing the overall feel drastically.) Broadly speaking,
this gives the poem a bouncy musicality that prevent it from SETTING
feeling out of control. The speaker has her confident grip on all
the lines here, even if she chooses to vary that grip at her This poem doesn't have a clear setting, which allows its
pleasure—keeping the poem interesting and engaging on the message to resonate broadly with women in various contexts.
level of sound throughout. The most readers know is that the poem is modern in its scope,
The lack of a strict meter also goes hand-in-hand with the free- given the reference to "fashion models."
spirited nature of the poem, which is centered around the The fashion industry has long promoted extreme thinness as
rejection of social norms. Just as the speaker refutes social the ultimate ideal of feminine beauty. "Phenomenal Woman"
ideals of the perfect size, the poem also resists traditional pushes back against the detrimental notion that only women of
notions of the "proper" meter through its liberal engagement a certain body type can be beautiful, a message that still
with free verse. resonates decades after the poem was published.
Interestingly, the contrast between the long lines at the top of The context of Angelou's writing enriches the poem's ideas as
the poem and the relatively short lines throughout the rest well. The fashion industry has historically not been just about
gives the poem a curvy appearance, which can perhaps be promoting thinness, but also whiteness; models of color remain
interpreted as a tribute to body types that exist outside of the less represented in the industry to this day. Broad societal
"thin ideal" peddled by the fashion industry (alluded
alluded to in line ideals of beauty in the western world have been tied to
2). whiteness for centuries, with traits like straight hair and fair
skin long upheld as the epitome of attractiveness. Such
RHYME SCHEME arbitrary ideals are rooted in racism and white supremacy.
Rhyme occurs sporadically throughout the poem, mainly in the Angelou was undoubtedly responding to this reality as
form of end rhrhymes
ymes. Some of these end rhymes are consecutive well—asserting her worth and beauty specifically as a black
(see: "lies" and "size" in lines 1 and 2) whereas others are woman in a society deeply prejudiced against people who
separated by one or multiple lines (see: "hips" in line 7 and "lips" looked like her.
in line 9).
Although there is no strict pattern applied to the end rhymes,
the rhyming is frequent and has a strong effect on the flow and CONTEXT
overall rhythm of the poem. There are also some internal
rh
rhymes
ymes—"cute" and "suit" in line 2; "and"/"man"/"stand" in lines LITERARY CONTEXT
17-18—which further adds to the poem's musicality. "Phenomenal Woman" was originally published in 1978 as a
This flexible rhyme scheme achieves a sense of lyricism and part of Maya Angelou's collection And Still I Rise. This was one
jazziness throughout the poem without committing to a specific of the most productive and creative times in Angelou's career.
structure or set of rules, echoing the nonconformist mindset of At this point, she was a well-established poet known for her
its speaker. reflections on racism, sexism, and oppression in the United
States. "Phenomenal Woman" quickly became one of her most
popular pieces with the publication of And Still I Rise, leading to

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increased public recognition of her work. black women were doubly so. The dual messages of black
Angelou was a prolific writer whose work frequently addressed empowerment and women's liberation resonate throughout
anti-black racism and women's empowerment. She detailed her Angelou's work.
own life extensively over the course of seven autobiographies,
including the famous I Know WhWhyy the Caged Bir
Birdd Sings
Sings. Angelou's
insistence on placing her own experiences front and center at a
MORE RESOUR
RESOURCES
CES
time when black women in particular remained intensely
EXTERNAL RESOURCES
marginalized by society cemented her status as a steadfast and
invaluable defender of black culture. Angelou also drew from • Ma
Mayaya Angelou and W
Women
omen's
's History — An overview of
black oral traditions and blues rhythms in much of her work, Maya Angelou's role in feminism as a writer and activist.
which has gone on to influence countless writers as well as (https:/
(https://www
/www..womenshistory
womenshistory.org/education-resources/
.org/education-resources/
many modern-day hip-hop artists, such as Kanye West and biogr
biographies/ma
aphies/maya-angelou)
ya-angelou)
Tupac Shakur. • "Phenomenal W Woman
oman"" Read Aloud — Maya Angelou
recites her poem. (https:/
(https://www
/www..youtube.com/
HISTORICAL CONTEXT watch?v=V
watch?v=VeFfhH83_RE)
eFfhH83_RE)
The poem is, in part, a reflection of ideals that emerged in the
fashion industry during the 1960s and continued to solidify • Ma
Mayaya Angelou in Her Own W Words
ords — More on Angelou's
throughout the following decades. Broadly speaking, the fascinating life story, including many quotes from the poet.
(https:/
(https://www
/www.dazeddigital.com/art-photogr
.dazeddigital.com/art-photograph
aphyy/article/
feminine ideal had begun to shift away from curvy figures and
39580/1/ma
39580/1/maya-angelou-in-her-own-words-still-i-rise-
ya-angelou-in-her-own-words-still-i-rise-
towards thinner body types, which was demonstrated by the
poet-writer)
rise in popularity of slim supermodels like Twiggy. The
expectations imposed on these models proliferated throughout • Biogr
Biograph
aphyy of Ma
Maya
ya Angelou — An overview of Maya
culture, compelling ordinary women to strive for the same body Angelou's life and work.
type. (https:/
(https://www
/www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/ma
.poetryfoundation.org/poets/maya-angelou)
ya-angelou)
This was also the era of second-wave feminism, when women • Women
omen's 's Idealized Bodies — An article covering the rise of
pushed for more than just basic enfranchisement. Feminists the fashion industry and how it has promoted the "Thin
turned their focus to issues such as equality in the workplace Ideal. (https:/
(https:///thecon
theconvversation.com/womens-idealised-
and reproductive freedom, seeking to expand women's roles bodies-ha
bodies-havve-changed-dr
e-changed-dramatically-o
amatically-ovver-time-but-are-
and responsibilities throughout society. standards-becoming-more-unattainable-64936)
In "Phenomenal Woman," Angelou rejects the reduction of a
LITCHARTS ON OTHER MAYA ANGELOU POEMS
woman's beauty or value to the size of her waist or the number
on the scale. The speaker of "Phenomenal Woman" offers a • Caged Bird
powerful critique of this feminine ideal by suggesting that a • Still I Rise
woman's real beauty stems from loving herself and rejecting
unrealistic standards that objectify and diminish all women.
HOW T
TO
O CITE
In addition to critiquing the detrimental norms of the fashion
industry, "Phenomenal Woman," if read autobiographically, is
also an implicit rejection of anti-black racism. Angelou herself MLA
was a staunch activist, and the poem was written on the heels Zevanove, Samantha. "Phenomenal Woman." LitCharts. LitCharts
of the civil rights movement, just 10 years after the LLC, 6 Mar 2020. Web. 29 Apr 2020.
assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Black people had
CHICAGO MANUAL
secured many basic legal protections, but societal prejudice
didn't simply disappear. Zevanove, Samantha. "Phenomenal Woman." LitCharts LLC, March
6, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2020. https://www.litcharts.com/
This prejudice manifested in many societal depictions of poetry/maya-angelou/phenomenal-woman.
beauty, which were overwhelmingly tied to whiteness. Thus
while perhaps all women were subjected to unrealistic
expectations propagated by the media and fashion industry,

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