"Woman Work"

Woman Work
by Maya Angelou

I've got the children to tend
The clothes to mend
The floor to mop
The food to shop
Then the chicken to fry
The baby to dry
I got company to feed
The garden to weed
I've got shirts to press
The tots to dress
The can to be cut
I gotta clean up this hut
Then see about the sick
And the cotton to pick.

Shine on me, sunshine
Rain on me, rain
Fall softly, dewdrops
And cool my brow again.

Storm, blow me from here
With your fiercest wind
Let me float across the sky
'Til I can rest again.

Fall gently, snowflakes
Cover me with white
Cold icy kisses and
Let me rest tonight.

Sun, rain, curving sky
Mountain, oceans, leaf and stone
Star shine, moon glow
You're all that I can call my own.     

Poems are considered one of the most important means of conveying one's opinions, thoughts, and desires. Therefore, the poem "Woman Work" by Maya Angelou addresses the narrator's inner desires and thoughts. Obviously, this poem is narrated by a woman who is most likely a housewife around the 1950s or 1960s. The narrator is constantly busy since she’s “got the children to tend/ the clothes to mend/ the floor to mop/ the food to shop” (Lines 1-4). As a result of the arduous workload, she often feels trapped in a metaphorical prison she cannot escape. Therefore, she finds nature as her sanctuary because she can be true to herself and feel accepted. For instance, the narrator states “Shine on me, sunshine” which reflects her desire to be appreciated and looked at (15). Therefore, she asks the sun to shine on her so she can feel better about herself. Next, the narrator says “Rain on me, rain”. The word “rain” connotes cleansing and baptism which can be related to the narrator (16). The narrator wishes to be cleansed of the mental and physical exhaustion she had to endure. It can also be interpreted that she wishes to cleanse her identity as a slave. She states that she has “cotton to pick” which alludes to slavery in the United States (14). During the period of slavery, many African-American slaves were forced to work in cotton plantations. Nevertheless, the narrator clearly desires to be treated equally so she turns to nature for freedom and equality. Furthermore, the narrator goes on to describe nature as her sanctuary. For example, she goes on to say “Storm, blow me from here/With the fiercest wind/Let me float across the sky” (19-21). The image of the woman floating across the sky symbolizes her pursuit of freedom and peace. The sky is a place of silence and infinite height so the narrator wishes to reach the sky. By floating in the sky, she will find peace and feel that she is free to do whatever she wants. The sky is a place without limits which the narrator desperately craves for. Next, the woman states “Fall gently, snowflakes/ Cover me with white/ Cold icy kisses and/ Let me rest tonight” (23-26). Snow is usually associated with the color white which connotes purity and innocence. For that reason, the narrator wishes to be kissed by gentle snowflakes to discover her purity and innocence. Also, she can be attempting to get back her purity and innocence that she lost through marriage. Lastly, the narrator sadly declares “Sun, rain, curving sky /Mountain, oceans, leaf and stone/Star shine, moon glow/You're all that I can call my own” (27-30). Her revelation further reinforces the point that nature is her sanctuary. It is also sad that she can call nature as her own because it hints that she has no power and opinion regarding her life. I predict that the narrator is an African- American housewife who struggles with her identity and inner desires for freedom.