I’ve got the children to tend
The clothes to mend
The floor to mop
The food to shop
Then the chicken to fry
The baby to dry
I got company to feed
The garden to weed
I’ve got shirts to press
The tots to dress
The can to be cut
I gotta clean up this hut
Then see about the sick
And the cotton to pick.

Shine on me, sunshine
Rain on me, rain
Fall softly, dewdrops
And cool my brow again.

Storm, blow me from here
With your fiercest wind
Let me float across the sky
‘Til I can rest again.

Fall gently, snowflakes
Cover me with white
Cold icy kisses and
Let me rest tonight.

Sun, rain, curving sky
Mountain, oceans, leaf and stone
Star shine, moon glow
You’re all that I can call my own.

Analysis, meaning and summary of Maya Angelou's poem Woman Work

33 Comments

  1. aamir mahmood awan says:

    it goes without saying that woman work is a best piece of art.

  2. Mohammad Amin Babar says:

    The most simple chores of domestic women have been beautified in such a way that the word picture becomes an exquisite piece of art.Maya resorts to nature, the only power that, she believes, can free a person imprisoned in the drab and dreary life of monotonous routine work.She emphatically calls nature to rescue her from her tiresome job. She knows the fact that it is nature that she can call her own.Maya developes a relationship with nature to cool her down and sooth her tired body.

  3. Aleena Saif says:

    her life. It is a poem that affects our imagination and goes on haunting our thoughts. She feels completely exhausted and wants to be rescued by nature. She wants to feel lost in the wonders of nature. She says that women are uncomplaining and dutiful individuals. The fact of the matter is that they perform such works to make the lives of their dear ones comfortable, enjoyable, and less burdensome.

  4. tanweer says:

    very beautiful poem. Ilike it very much as it talks about the power of women

  5. matthias says:

    Where do you think this poem is set?

    Pls awnser me

  6. mubashar ayub says:

    plz send me main idea of this poem

  7. kanwal says:

    please send me explanation of this poem and main idea of this poem

  8. anam iftikhar says:

    i like this poem very much. beacuse its all about women power. the way she face all the duities of her family.she doen very good job.everybody will aprecate to women work in country like pakistan.

  9. aamir mahmood awan says:

    in this poem,the poetess has delineated the routine work of a woman very skillfully.there is a universality in the poem.every woman finds the feelings of Maya that of their own.one cannot help appreciating the poem simple and deep rooted lesson.a human always seeks asylum in the lap of nature to pacify himself/herself.

  10. Azca rObert says:

    awesome poem wow

  11. adnan says:

    Maya Angelou is that kind of poet .that u can not compare any other.Her description of on woman life is very impressive.When i read this poem (woman work)i feel the individually life of a woman .Madam Maya Angelou express the problem of the lack of time any kind of hose lady in very simple and vast meanings words.I like it to much .From Ch adnan taqi Pakistan

  12. Barirah says:

    Focussing on women’s role as mother and wife, Maya superbly highlights the burden of duties under which women are suppressed. Like an ox, working from dawn till dusk she has to follow a fix schedule having no time to enjoy. Having no identity of her own, she is not an individual but only a mother or wife. Since there is no one around that can save her from the drudgery in which she is surrounded she invokes nature, the ultimate saviour of oppressed, to come and save her so that she can REST!

  13. LIZZIE says:

    This poem is amazing because of the fact she has so much power and
    determindation, it brillant to see a women like Maya Angelou writing a poem
    like this! It’s also singficant that in the first stanza its all breathe
    taking because its like a list but after the first stanza she seems to be
    more relaxed and the thng what keeps her moving is nature itself because
    she doesnt own anything in this poem and i find this truely amazing that
    she has and also will be the greatest poets! By the way, im only 15 so if
    i’ve undersood anything wrong please let me know. But i love Maya’s poem
    and im sure many more people agree!
    I was at work & got tired of just thinking of all that has to be done when
    I get home. I decided to google you & I have to say your poem has
    brightened my day! My kids are awesome & I really don’t mind doing anything
    for them but your poem made me smile at all that we actually do in a day.
    Once again Ms. Maya you have lifted a woman’s spririts. May God Bless You &
    Heaven Smile Upon You.
    ANYONE ELSE WHO WRIITES ON THIS WALL PLEZZZ PLEZZ WRITE A SHOUT OUT TO ME…LIZZIE L. H. IT WOULD BE AWESOME!! JUST WRITE LIZZIE L. H. IS AWESOME!!!

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