After her rape at the age of eight, as recounted in her first autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings(1969), she dealt with her trauma by memorizing and reciting great works of literature, including poetry, which helped bring her out of her self-imposed muteness. Angelou reciting her poem 'On the Pulse of Morning' at President Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1993Īngelou studied and began writing poetry at a young age. Angelou's publisher placed four previously-published poems in a smaller volume, entitled Phenomenal Woman in 1995. Also included was 'On the Pulse of Morning'. The volumes included in the collection are Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'fore I Diiie (1971), Oh Pray My Wings Are Gonna Fit Me Well (1975), And Still I Rise (1978), Shaker, Why Don't You Sing? (1983), and I Shall Not Be Moved (1990). Her publisher, Random House, placed the poems of her previous volumes in this collection, perhaps to capitalize on her popularity following her reading of her poem ' On the Pulse of Morning' at President Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1993. She began, early in her writing career, alternating the publication of an autobiography and a volume of poetry.

By the time of its publication in 1994, she had published five autobiographies, eventually going on to publish seven, and five books of poetry. The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou is Maya Angelou's first collection of poetry. Her prose works have been more successful than her poetry, which has received little serious attention by critics. It contains her previous five books of poetry, published between 1971-1990. It is Angelou's first collection of poetry published after she read her poem ' On the Pulse of Morning' at President Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1993. The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou is author and poet Maya Angelou's collection of poetry, published by Random House in 1994.

Maya angelou poems book