M stands for Maya, MAYA Angelou.

Maya Angelou.

Maya is one of my favourite American writers.

 To label her 'just a writer'  really does her an injustice;  whilst, indeed it is admirable in  being a renown author , Maya Angelou is even more than 'just a writer', she was a playwright, performer, actress and composer. 

She has written and appeared in many plays and films being nominated an Emmy for her role in the 1977 movie Roots.

Maya Angelou was active in The Civil Rights Movement and worked with Martin Luther King and was widely respected as a spokesperson for black people.

 In 1993 she was invited by President Bill Clinton to write and read the first inaugural poem. Americans all across the country watched as she read;

 On The Pulse of Morning.

A rock, A river,  A Tree

 Hosts to species long since departed,

 Marked the mastodon,

 The dinosaur, who left dried tokens

 On their sojourn here On our planet floor,

 Any broad alarm of their hastening doom

 Is lost in the gloom of dust and ages.

But today,  the Rock cries out to us, clearly,  forcefully,

Come, you stand upon my Back and face your distant destiny,

 But seek no haven in my shadow,

 I will give you no hiding place down here.

 You created only a little lower than

 The angels, have crouched too long in

 The bruising darkness

 Have lain too long Face down in ignorance,

 Your mouths spilling words

 Armed for slaughter. The Rock cries out to us today

 You may stand upon me But do not hide your face :

AS this oration is rather long for me to quote here please just Google  Maya Angelou, 'On the Pulse of Morning' .There is also an recording on U tube of the actual inauguration and  the moving speech by Maya Angelou.

She concluded her address in this last verse saying:

"Here on the pulse of this new day 

 You may have the grace to look up and out

 And into your sister's eyes, and into

 Your brother's face, Your country and say simply

very simply

 With hope - Good Morning".

. In this last verse I feel she was challenging the new administration and all Americans to work together for progress.

My sincere thanks to the Marvellous Mrs Nesbitt, Denise..for devisising ABCW and also to the Munificent Roger for doing what he does in such a Malleable Manner .Also the team of Matchless assistants who help with the weekly visit to all the other ABCW' s sites.

Best wishes.

Di.

ABCW team.