Phenomenal Woman is a phenomenal poem that

speaks to us of where we are as women at the dawn of

a new century. In a clear voice, Maya Angelou vividly
reminds us of our towering strength and beauty. Here
is a poem that radiates wisdom and conviction,
renewing our belief in the glory and tender mercies of
our gender.

During the first flight test of NASA’s Orion, the spacecraft flew more than 3,600 miles into space to test many of the
systems critical to safety before it begins carrying astronauts to new destinations in the solar system, including to an
asteroid and on toward Mars. While the flight tested thousands of hardware and software elements, Orion also carried
with it several mementos and commemorative items to mark the spacecraft’s march toward enabling human deep space
exploration, including poetry written by American poet Dr. Maya Angelou. This is one of them…

Phenomenal Woman Men themselves have wondered

Maya Angelou What they see in me.
They try so much
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. But they can't touch
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size My inner mystery.
But when I start to tell them, When I try to show them
They think I'm telling lies. They say they still can't see.
I say, I say,
It's in the reach of my arms It's in the arch of my back,
The span of my hips, The sun of my smile,
The stride of my step, The ride of my breasts,
The curl of my lips. The grace of my style.
I'm a woman I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman, Phenomenally.
That's me. Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please, Now you understand
And to a man, Just why my head's not bowed.
The fellows stand or I don't shout or jump about
Fall down on their knees. Or have to talk real loud.
Then they swarm around me, When you see me passing
A hive of honey bees. It ought to make you proud.
I say, I say,
It's the fire in my eyes, It's in the click of my heels,
And the flash of my teeth, The bend of my hair,
The swing in my waist, the palm of my hand,
And the joy in my feet. The need of my care,
I'm a woman 'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally. Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman, Phenomenal woman,
That's me. That's me.