Grace, dignity, and
eloquence have long been hallmarks of Maya Angelou’s poetry. Her
measured verses have stirred our souls, energized our minds,
and healed
our hearts. Whether offering hope in the darkest of nights or
expressing sincere joy at the extraordinariness of the
everyday, Maya
Angelou has served as our common voice.
Celebrations is
a collection of timely and timeless poems that are an
integral part of
the global fabric. Several works have become nearly as iconic as
Angelou herself: the inspiring “On the Pulse of Morning,”
read at
President William Jefferson Clinton’s 1993 inauguration; the
heartening
“Amazing Peace,” presented at the 2005 lighting of the National
Christmas Tree at the White House; “A Brave and Startling
Truth,” which
marked the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations; and
“Mother,”
which beautifully honors the first woman in our lives.
Angelou writes
of celebrations public and private, a bar mitzvah wish to
her nephew, a
birthday greeting to Oprah Winfrey, and a memorial tribute
to the late
Luther Vandross and Barry White.
More than a writer,
Angelou is
a chronicler of history, an advocate for peace, and a
champion for the
planet, as well as a patriot, a mentor, and a friend. To be
shared and
cherished, the wisdom and poetry of Maya Angelou proves
there is always
cause for celebration.