IGX

Where "X" is the # of folks posting overwrought RIP poems and memes on my FB feed for the departed Ms. Angelou
And "Y" is the # of folks whose lives were actually changed in any way by her work

I believe that X-Y= X

I also would say that X=mostly white girls, mid-30s, have used the phrase "you go, girl" a lot in their lives, think Oprah's a pretty helpful lady

You can appreciate poetry and writing without having a life altering experience. She was an insightful woman.

Absolutely. I should say I don't think any of these folks have cracked one of her books either.

1. Overrated. A lot.

2. A Professor at Duke with no Bachelors degree and didn't teach classes.

3. Insisted on being called Doctor. See #2.

4. Stole the oxygen from lots of other talented people, both back and white in the poetry world.

RIp. Next.

Maya Angelou for Butterfinger...

https://screen.yahoo.com/maya-angelou-b ... 00314.html

-Stan

A couple of months ago I read a quote that was attributed to Ms. A. It went something like this, "People won't remember what you said or what you did. They will remember how you made them feel".

I have no idea if she said it or not but it's good thinkings.

Can anyone think if her and not hear that affected voice in their heads?

Didn't really know anything about her except when she occasionally said something annoying that made the blogs. Turns out she was raped at 8, was a hooker as a single teenage mother, and was just about as low as you could get in America at that time. To rise out of those circumstances is a pretty stellar achievement. Good for her.

What he said.

powerlifter54 wrote:1. Overrated. A lot.

2. A Professor at Duke with no Bachelors degree and didn't teach classes.

3. Insisted on being called Doctor. See #2.

4. Stole the oxygen from lots of other talented people, both back and white in the poetry world.

RIp. Next.

Lucille Clifton was a professor at my college.

Check these poems out: "salt" and "a girl inside".

Shea awesome.

powerlifter54 wrote: 2. A Professor at Duke with no Bachelors degree and didn't teach classes.

taught at wake forest, where the web site has a remembrance that includes the following:

Over the years, she has taught a variety of humanities courses, including “World Poetry in Dramatic Performance,” “Race, Politics and Literature,” “African Culture and Impact on U.S.,” “Race in the Southern Experience” and “Shakespeare and the Human Condition.”

Wake Forest. My bad. All ACC Basketball schools are the same to me. Even worse now that Ethan Reeves is gone as S+C Coach.

Hasn't taught in a long long long time. And whatever you mentioned didn't look like any class anybody who wasn't being funded by mommy and daddy would take.

I am shocked that PL54 didn't like Maya Angelou, and confidently asserted incorrect things.

Her poem The Man from Nantucket was soulful, disturbing, and life-affirming.

johno wrote:Her poem The Man from Nantucket was soulful, disturbing, and life-affirming.

powerlifter54 wrote:Wake Forest. My bad. All ACC Basketball schools are the same to me. Even worse now that Ethan Reeves is gone as S+C Coach.

Hasn't taught in a long long long time. And whatever you mentioned didn't look like any class anybody who wasn't being funded by mommy and daddy would take.

She was 86 when she died, I'm not surprised she wasn't teaching much; she may have made it up by mentoring grad students. She was a famous writer and led a very interesting life; like her or not, her influence as a writer can't be denied. My guess is that very few professors bring as much to the table as she did, and that damn near every university in the nation wished they had the foresight and wisdom that Wake had in bringing her on. Wake is no joke as a university FWIW.

Most likely she also raised Wake's profile and brought more value to Wake's fundraising efforts than they ever paid her. Bringing more value financially for your employer than you're paid = valued employee. RIP.

Wake Forest said that she had taught since 1981, but hadn't held any classes since 2011 because of poor health. However, she was signed up to teach a course this fall.

50 Cent throws the worst opening pitch in baseball history, and now this. Been a rough week for blue gums.

Guessing this was hard on Mr. Obama when he found out from the media she passed.

Would have?

I think if you check your historicals on her, she served with the OSS during WW2 in France.