Still I Rise - Maya Angelou
"Still I Rise" is one of the famous poem of Maya Angelou's poetry book "And Still I Rise" which is collection of 32 short poems. The poems' themes focus on a hopeful determination to rise above difficulty and discouragement. She speaks for her race and gender in many of the poems, and again emphasizes the strength and resiliency of her community. When I read it I felt that it is written not just for black women or her community but for all the women and all those in the world who are suppressed and society never let them rise. It fits well in the Indian context also as the women/girls in India still don't have choice over their decisions. They still feel difficulty in to study, to work, to marry ,etc in many parts of the country. Those who achieve something are also seen with jealousy and doubts. This inspired me to write a Hindi version of the poem titled - "मैं फ़िर भी उठूंगी" .
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.
Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
’Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.
Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries?
Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
’Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own backyard.
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.
Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?
Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.
"मैं फ़िर भी उठूंगी" .
मैं फ़िर भी उठूंगी जितना चाहे मुझ को दबालो,
पीडियों का बोझ जितना चाहे मुझपे डालो,
रीतियों-कुरीतियन का जाल हर तरफ बिछालो,
झूठ-मक्कारी के दलदल में चाहे मुझको डालो।
मेरी बेबाक़ी से जितना भी अपना दिल जलालो,
तरक़्क़ी मेरी देख कर सीने पे अपने सांप लिटालो,
पर में सूरज-चाँद जैसे,समुंद्री लहरों की ऊँची उड़ान जैसे,
मैं फ़िर भी उठूंगी रास्ते सारे चाहे मेरे रोक डालो।
शब्दों के तीख़े बाण जितने भी मुझपर चला लो,
नफ़रत भरी नज़रों से अपनी चाहे मुझ को काट डालो,
नाच-गाना, पढ़ना-काम करना रोक दो चाहे जैसे,
पर में फ़िर भी उठूंगी हवा जैसे,चाहे तुम ताले लागलो।
इतिहास के दर्द पीछे छोड़कर उठती हूँ मैं,
ख़ौफ़ की रातों के मंज़र तोड़कर उठती हूँ मैं,
ग़ुलामी की सभी ज़ंजीर तोड़ उठती हूँ मैं,
पूर्वजो के टूटे सपनों को जोड़ती उठती हूँ मैं,
उठती हूँ मैं,
उठती हूँ मैं,
उठती हूँ मैं....
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