RIP Dr. Maya Angelou, your words inspired millions but your strength touched people all across the world.
RIP Dr. Maya Angelou-Poet, Author, Civil Rights Activist
Dr. Maya Angelou’s passing on Wednesday 28, 2014 has left a void in the many lives of everyone that she touched, along the journey of her life. Dr. Angelou inspired not only her generation of creative minds but all the future potential poets, writers, and civil rights activists that will come along to build on her legacy for many years to come. When I was a kid my grandmother introduced me to poetry at a very young age. I began writing poetry when I was in second grade because at the time it was a favorite pastime of my grandmother. The very first Maya Angelou work that I can remember reading was Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘Fore I Diiie. I learned love, forgiveness and I also experienced the hate that was ever present not only in my Arkansas community but all over the country.
RIP Dr. Maya Angelou-Maya Angelou’s Impact on my Writing
My grandmother would continually say channel that anger into something tangible and write it down. My poetry in the beginning was loosely based off of the emotion and passion that I would read in Dr. Angelou’s poetry and writings. I think I was in the third grade when I realized that the simple writing and poetry began to have a direction. No longer were they angry ramblings of a young black male that was suffering from a sense of oppression but of someone that had a plan on how to overcome those same oppressions that were holding my people back.
Maya Angelou’s impact on my writing is undeniable and I feel blessed to have learned from someone that touched so many lives along the way. There are countless accounts just like the ones I have described. I have fans that tell me all the time one of my songs helped them come to grip with something they were also dealing with at the time. I learned a very long time ago that real writing comes from the heart; I have never written one song that has not been an extension of my inner emotions. Dr. Maya Angelou taught me the importance of channeling those feelings, whether they are love, anger or pain the aftermath of the writing process can be something more beautiful than the initial emotion inspired the writing process. Once a person understands their limitations they evolve as a writer no matter what they may seem to be writing about.
RIP Dr. Maya Angelou-Dr Maya Angelou’s Impact on Current and Future Generations
There are many of us that are mourning the death of a legendary visionary but after a few days I realize that Dr. Angelou would want us to celebrate the words that she left behind. She would want us to remember her passion, her drive and above all her courage and strength no matter the odds. Over the years we have all learned so much through a literary perspective of Dr. Angelou’s mind and I am sure we are all better people for it. Maya Angelou has created light when all we saw was darkness. She created hope when all we saw was despair. She took us on journeys that helped us escape our surroundings, while allowing us the envision ways of improving our situations. I believe this is a befitting time to use one of her quotes that I believe is so appropriate at this time, “If you are going to live, leave a legacy. Make a mark on the world that can’t be erased.”- Maya Angelou 1928-2014. Dr. Maya Angelou you may be gone but you will definitely not be forgotten. RIP Maya Angelou, Brotha Blakk said it.
Brotha Blakk
Some legends simple pass and fade away but Maya Angelou will live on forever in our hearts and minds. She was a true inspiration, RIP Dr. Maya Angelou.