Maya Angelou, Phenomenal Woman, sung by Shawna Ray

Video above in memory of Dr. Maya Angelou, where I am singing her poem Phenomenal Women into my phone, with words listed. I found this photo by Adria Richards with a quote through ASCF.org online, so I hope that's okay. Now I wish I had done more with this sooner.

But here's the story...I wake up and sing song ideas into my phone all the time, but I never intend for anyone to hear them publicly. In April I woke up and sang this rough a capella version of the poem for some reason. (Can I possibly give any more disclaimers?? Like if I was 11 wouldn't you think this was okay? And do you realize that most of what you hear in music has been highly processed and recorded with high tech microphones? And most people sound awful singing into a phone. Ahhhh Let it go already). All I know is, I have to share. 

Rest in peace. You will be missed. And we will forever be grateful for the legacy you left behind and your Heartsong that lives on through your writing and those you have inspired.

 – Shawna Ray   

Website: www.shawnaray.com
Direct link to videos on youtube: http://youtube.com/imshawnaray 

See previous blog entry for another song collection of Maya Angelou poems posted yesterday, a Timeless Face of Grace with Poetry that Penetrates...

http://shawnaray.blogspot.com/2014/05/timeless-maya-angelou.html

Timeless, Maya Angelou

A few years back  a friend gave me The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou book for Christmas. As I refreshed my memory re-reading the works of one of my favorites, Maya Angelou, I noted some quotes under the headline, "A timeless face of grace and inspiration." I pulled and placed the quotes and excerpts from some of her poems into a sort of song or collective in lyrical form. I call these "Maya Moments" when creativity is flowing, even if I don't know where it is going. I am nowhere close to the writer she is, but she truly inspires and motivates me. 

This collection has been saved in the memo on my phone. When I heard the news of her passing today, I found this and decided to post it. I also found a very rough recording where I sang Maya Angelou's poem Phenomenal Woman into my phone and made a video with the words to that poem to share. 

As Maya said, "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." I know that's right! If anyone finds it hard to read mixed bits and pieces from poems that they hold dear, please know that my intention is to honor Dr. Maya Angelou, as I hold her dear as well. This previously caged bird continues to find ways to sing. I hope to somehow record the song soon.

In memory..

Timeless, Maya Angelou    

Excerpts referenced below from Maya Angelou poems placed into song lyric form through Shawna Ray, 2011 

Maya Angelou

Poetry that penetrates

“In minor note the difference                   

In major ways we're all the same”    (*1)

Maya Angelou

“Birthing’s hard and dying’s mean                      

Living's a trial in between”   (*2) 

A timeless face of grace

           

"Now thread my voice with lies of light      

Force within my mirror eyes

The cold disguise of sad and wise

Decisions"   (*3)                                                      

            

"So if today I follow death                          

Go down it is a trackless waste 

Salt my tongue on hardened tears

My precious dear oh time's waste race" (*4) 

           
“Will you have the grace to mourn me?     

Will my writing tell of time?”

Doubt and fear ungainly things

With blushings disappear”  (*4)

         

I think about myself and laugh                          

“A dance that's walked a song that's spoke

For when I think about myself

I laugh so hard I almost choke"   (*5)

“My folks can make me split my side              

The tales they tell can sound like lies

They grow the fruit and eat the rind

I laugh until I start to cry”  (*5)

Maya Angelou

Poetry that penetrates

“In minor note the difference                         

In major ways we're all the same”   (*1)

Maya Angelou

“Birthing's hard and dying's mean                 

Living's a trial in between”   (*2)

A timeless face of grace

Yes I will have the grace to mourn you         

As your writing tells of time

“Doubt and fear ungainly things                      

With blushings disappear”    (*4)

Maya Angelou

Poetry that penetrates

Maya Angelou

A timeless face of grace      

 Excerpts from the follow Maya Angelou poems: 1) Human Family; 2) Is Love; 3) How I Can Lie to You; 4) Mourning Grace; 5) When I Think About Myself)

Rest in Peace. Your Heartsong lives on...

Destination is the Journey

Destination is The Journey

- Shawna Ray, original song written Oct 20, 2008

I seem to just wander all over the page

You say to go forward and put things in place

But I say this time spent in motion and dreams

Is creative direction and maybe it seems

We circle to get to the core

Until the journey takes me to the point

Where all of this meandering makes more sense

While I get there you will hear me sing

The destination is the journey

The winding of lines are all so intertwined

Look out at the rivers where streams meet in time

They push but still turn, avoiding the damn block

Still moving though slowly eroding the rock 

Life moves with intentions unseen

Until the journey takes me to the point

Where all of this meandering makes more sense

While I get there you will hear me sing

The destination is the journey

So you keep your straight lines and boxes for containing

I’ll keep my circles, emoji  is still smiley

You keep your type A for fixing and dictating

I am OK with Being me 

As the journey takes me to the point

Where all of this meandering makes more sense

While I get there you will hear me sing

the destination is…

(The Muppets) Near------ far ---

So near ------and far

 The destination

The whole fixation...

And seemingly aimless direction
In art and laughter
The now and the after
The raw fresh beauty 
In family and nature
This is a journey!
Please share it with me
Life is a journey!

Aftermath

Aftermath

Music in the Making by Shawna Ray, today 5/7/14

You might have liked the young and pretty me

So full of armor, light and energy

Choices were made and now I’m living

Consequences of a worn down dream  

There’s a new growing grass

Flowers bloom again

All is well, no regrets

What remains intact?

Unbroken, unharmed, unscathed, complete

Untouched, uncut, undefiled, indiscrete

Is a good, good heart

With a love to laugh

There’s a free bird soul

With an olive branch

Coming back from the aftermath

I'm coming back from the aftermath

Some lessons we must learn the hard way

So we can help another someday

Divided we can fall and ruminate

Still love that penetrates is worth the wait

There’s a new growing grass

Flowers bloom again

All is well, no regrets

What remains intact?

Unbroken, unharmed, unscathed, complete

Untouched, uncut, undefiled, indiscrete

Is a good, good heart

With a love to laugh

There’s a free bird soul

With an olive branch

Coming back from the aftermath

I'm coming back from the aftermath

There's some things beyond our control
I'm ready to finally let go

With a good, good heart

And a love to laugh

There’s a free bird soul

With an olive branch

Coming back from the aftermath

I'm coming back from the aftermath