‘To a man’ is written by Maya Angelou, who first rose to fame with her novel-turned-autobiography ‘I know why the caged bird sings’, which detailed her many life experiences (including time spent as an activist, singer, waitress and dancer). She has since published two collections of prose – ‘wouldn’t take anything for my journey now’ and ‘Even the stars look lonesome.
In addition to these works, Angelou is also famous for writing several poems – most notably perhaps are ‘Still I rise’ and ” On the pulse of morning’, which she wrote for President Clinton’s inauguration. Currently enjoying a lifetime appointment as Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University in North Carolina, it seems there is little this woman can’t do!
Maya Angelou’s novel ‘To a man’ is a story about a young boy, Malcolm X, who is raised in the ghetto and eventually becomes involved in gangs and illegal activity. However, after spending time in prison, he realizes the error of his ways and joins the Nation of Islam, becoming one of its most famous leaders. The novel chronicles his journey from the streets to the Nation of Islam, and ultimately to his assassination.
Maya Angelou was inspired to write ‘To a man’ after hearing a speech given by Malcolm X, and she felt that his story needed to be told. In her novel, she portrays him as a complex and multi-dimensional character, rather than simply a leader of a political movement. She also addresses the issue of race in America, and how it affects both blacks and whites.
Critics have praised Maya Angelou for her ability to tell a powerful story, as well as for her insights into the human condition. ‘To a man’ is an important work that sheds light on the life of one of America’s most controversial figures.
The poem is about a guy that Maya Angelou adores, and she uses a variety of comparisons and images to describe him to the reader. Maya Angelou has a loud, authoritative style of writing that employs many modal verbs, such as ‘is,’ to deliver her meaning to the audience. She creates poems with the goal of entertaining others and encouraging them to read them aloud.
I believe this is one of those poems since she employs full stops and capital letters in order to indicate when pauses should be used and which words need more emphasis. This poem is serious yet also thought-provoking, with unique imagery being used to compare her lover to others.
For example, Maya Angelou writes that her lover is “a well-oiled machine” and “a black panther.” These comparisons help the reader to understand just how Maya Angelou feels about this man.
Maya Angelou also includes a lot of sensory details in her poem, which helps to create a vivid picture for the reader. She talks about how her lover’s skin smells like “ginger and nutmeg,” and how his eyes are “black oil wells.” These details make it easy for the reader to imagine what Maya Angelou’s lover looks and smells like. Overall, I think this is a very effective poem that does a great job of conveying Maya Angelou’s feelings for her lover.
I appreciate Angelou’s use of word choice and sentence structure, as well as her grammar and punctuation. Her happy tone might be attributed to the fact that she is writing about a man who makes her feel warm and laughs through his own difficulties. The poem does not follow typical grammatical structure or employ syllabic conclusion on each line. The lines do not rhyme, and it appears as if Angelou has jotted down simply what was in her mind without deliberately turning them into a poem.
This could be Maya Angelou’s own style, which makes her work unique. The poem is about a woman’s love for a man, and how he makes her feel. Maya Angelou uses positive words to describe him, such as “laughter”, “brave” and “warm”. She also writes about how he copes with his own troubles, by laughing through them. This shows that he is a strong and positive person, who can make the best out of any situation.
The poem has a happy and contented feeling, as the woman is in love and she knows it. Even though the poem does not follow a conventional structure or rhyme scheme, it is still an enjoyable and easy-to-read piece of poetry. Maya Angelou’s use of language and punctuation gives the poem an interesting effect and makes it stand out from other poems about love.
‘To a Man’ is a poem of 22 lines, which places important ideas about the individual on their own or on a separate line to emphasize how vital this aspect of him is. Maya Angelou created ‘To a Man’ after her first husband left her. It covers his character and compares him to a large cat. Angelou begins the poem with comparisons such as ‘My man is Black Golden Amber.’ The first line, ‘My guy is,’ establishes the atmosphere and informs the reader that the poem will focus on Angelou’s beloved male.
The poem has a distinct shape. The first, second, and fourth stanzas contain six lines each, while the third stanza only has four. This creates a visual balance that reflects the content of the poem. Angelou uses repetition for emphasis in the poem. The phrase ‘my man is’ begins each stanza, and the final line of each stanza contains a variation of ‘I love my man.’ This repetition drives home the main point: Maya Angelou loves her man despite his flaws.
The opening line, ‘My guy is Black Golden Amber,’ sets up the rest of the poem. It establishes the speaker’s admiration for her male subject. The next lines compare him to different animals. She starts with a lion, which is a symbol of strength. Then she compares him to a leopard, which is sleek and powerful. Next, she compares him to a panther, which is dangerous and mysterious. These comparisons show the speaker’s high opinion of the man. The final line of the first stanza, ‘I love my man,’ reveals the speaker’s deep feelings for him.
The second stanza begins with the repetition of ‘my man is.’ This reinforces the idea that the speaker loves her man despite his flaws. The next lines compare the man to different objects. She starts with a thunderstorm, which is destructive but also exciting. Then she compares him to a volcano, which is dangerous but also full of life. Next, she compares him to a forest fire, which is destructive but also necessary. These comparisons show the speaker’s complex feelings for the man. The final line of the second stanza, ‘I love my man,’ reveals the speaker’s deep feelings for him.