Oh Pray My Wings Are Gonna Fit Me Well: Poems

By Maya Angelou

This collection of thirty-six poems is, once again, eloquent evidence of Maya Angelou's continuing celebration of life: Here are poems of love and memory; poems of racial confrontation; songs of the street and songs from the heart.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Apr 10, 2013
• ISBN: 9780307833266

Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou was one of the world's most important writers and activists. Born 4 April 1928, she lived and chronicled an extraordinary life: rising from poverty, violence and racism, she became a renowned author, memoirist, poet, playwright, civil rights' activist - working with Malcolm X and Martin Luther King. She wrote and performed a poem, 'On the Pulse of Morning', for President Clinton on his inauguration. She was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama and was honoured by more than seventy universities throughout the world. She first thrilled the world with I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969). This was followed by six volumes of autobiography, the seventh and final volume, Mom & Me & Mom, published in 2013. She wrote three collections of essays; many volumes of poetry, including His Day is Done, a tribute to Nelson Mandela; and two cookbooks. She had a lifetime appointment as Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University of North Carolina. She died in 2014.

Book preview

Part One

Pickin Em Up

and Layin Em Down

There’s a long-legged girl

in San Francisco

by the Golden Gate.

She said she’d give me all I wanted

but I just couldn’t wait.

I started to

Pickin em up

and layin em down,

Pickin em up

and layin em down,

Pickin em up

and layin em down,

gettin to the next town

Baby.

There’s a pretty brown

in Birmingham

Boys, she little and cute

but when she like to tied me down

I had to grab my suit and started to

Pickin em up

and layin em down,

Pickin em up

and layin em down,

Pickin em up

and layin em down,

gettin to the next town

Baby.

I met that lovely Detroit lady

and thought my time had come

But just before I said I do

I said I got to run and started to

Pickin em up

and layin em down,

Pickin em up

and layin em down,

Pickin em up

and layin em down,

gettin to the next town

Baby.

There ain’t no words for what I