Phenomenal Woman

Many girl suffer with body image. They are put down and put themselves down because of their body size. It doesn't matter what's on the outside, it's what is on the inside that counts. African-American poet Maya Angelou oftens uplifts women through her words. She wrote a poem titled, "Phenomenal Woman," to celebrate woman.

“Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.”

Maya Angelou is a wonderful woman. Everything she says is to improve life around her. The emotion used behind this peom is to show women she neither is the skin model type, but she still is that "phenomenal woman." Her image is what made her the person she is; so if she can live with it, than any other woman can because they all are beautiful!

Sources: GoodReads. Maya Angelou Quotes. Web. 24 May 2012. <http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/3503.Maya_Angelou>.

Y.O.L.O

Life is way too short to not live it. There are people in the world who wait to the end of thier lives and realize they have a list of goals they have never experienced or achieved. Today people use a short quick saying to break a goal hold tide.

You Only Live Once

This sayig has been giving life and most of the time used out of context. You can be in a random place, like the train station, and oone person can yell, "Y.O.L.O!" and you get the sense of freedom and inspiration. A simple four letter word holds so much positive emotion.

New Beginnings

A zion is a pure, holy place to bring peace in one's life. Singer Lauryn Hill named her first born child Zion and wrote a song dedicated to him:

To Zion

Unsure of what the balance held
I touched my belly overwhelmed
By what I had been chosen to perform
But then an angel came one day
Told me to kneel down and pray
For unto me a man child would be born
Woe this crazy circumstance
I knew his life deserved a chance
But everybody told me to be smart
Look at your career they said,
"Lauryn, baby use your head"
But instead I chose to use my heart

Now the joy of my world is in Zion
Now the joy of my world is in Zion

How beautiful if nothing more
Than to wait at Zion's door
I've never been in love like this before
Now let me pray to keep you from
The perils that will surely come
See life for you my prince has just begun
And I thank you for choosing me
To come through unto life to be
A beautiful reflection of his grace
For I know that a gift so great
Is only one God could create
And I'm reminded every time I see your face

That the joy of my world is in Zion
Now the joy of my world is in Zion
Now the joy of my world is in Zion
Now the joy of my world is in Zion

Marching, marching, marching to Zion
Marching, marching
Marching, marching, marching to Zion
Beautiful, beautiful Zion

Lauryn Hill's son has brought happiness and joy to her life. The name she gave her child is very appropriate as to how she felt. Lauryn Hill is giving her son and she couldn't feel any better, "naw the joy of my world is in Zion."

Resources: "Lauryn Hill Lyrics "To Zion'." AZLyrics.com. Web. 24 May 2012.

Chocolates?

Life is very mysterious, as we all know. We never know exactly how everything will playout. My favorite quote that has struck with me since I was younger was stated in the all time favorite movie, "Forrest Gump."

"My mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."

Forrest Gump's mother's simile, couldn't more correct. In life you can never tell what happens next and the best way to compare life is with a box of chocolates. Yum!

Resources: Zemeckis, Robert. "Forrest Gump." Movie. 24 May 2012.

Living the Hard Knock!

"Annie" is a classic movie everyone knows and loves. Jay Z is a well-known rap artist and loves to splurge his creativity through his music. Jay Z uses the chorus "it's the hard knock life" from the movie "Annie" as the chorus of his popular rap song, "Hard Knock Life":

"It's the hard knock life for us

It's the hard knock life, for us!!

Steada treated, we get tricked

Steada kisses, we get kicked

It's the hard knock life!!" 

Many people who struggle daily know their lives to be "hard knock," and Jay Z's song reflects the "hard knock" of his hometown. The pathos used within the yrics allows Jay Z's audience to connect to the lyrics. The more they connect, the more albums sold!

Resources: "Jay -Z Hard Knock Life Lyrics." Lyrics Mode. Web. 24 May 2012.

Listen!

Beyonce is constantly writing songs that relate to life scenarios or the its she has acted in. Her single, "Listen," is both a life scenario and related to the movie "Dream Girls" which she played a main role in. Women are most likely shadowed by others, but it's time for them to shine.

"I don't know where I belong
But I'll be moving on
If you don't, if you won't

Listen to the song here in my heart
A melody I start but I will complete

Oh, now I'm done believing you
You don't know what I'm feeling
I'm more than what you made of me
I followed the voice you think you gave to me
But now I've gotta find my own, my own"

The role Beyonce played in the movue was a famous singer, "Dream Girl," over shadowed by her husband/ manager. This song is sung as if she was the character telling her husband to listen to her wanting to follow her heart or as in the lyrics, "the song here in my heart."

Resources: "Listen Lyrics." elyrics. net. Web. 24 May 2012.

Independence!

In 1814 the famous Francis Scott Key wrote a forever lasting patriotic tune. At every sports game and graduation, in the USA, people rise to their feet in respect for those people who gave their lives to save our country. It is un-American to not know "The Star Spangled Banner."

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Key uses a lot of description in this sony. He describes the war and the soldiers looking over the "ramparts." The "rocket's red glare" and "bomb bursting" are fireworks, celebrating our American victory for independence. God Bless America!

Resources: Key, Francis Scott. "The Star Spangled Banner." Usa- Flag Site. Web. 24 May 2012.