“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” These are the words of Dr. Maya Angelo, activist, author and writer, a woman of color whose literature represented a glimmer of hope for those who couldn't find it within themselves. Her poem Still I Rise tells the story of how one woman, raised in a world of hate and abandonment, still found within herself the ability to overcome her oppressors and thrive in adversity. His positive attitude shines throughout the poem and his legacy lives on through his literature, which still inspires so many today, including me. In today's episode of the podcast we will analyze and evaluate how Maya Angelou in the poem “Still I Rise” is able to inspire and influence the reader, successfully portraying themes of challenge, self-confidence, overcoming adversity and triumph through use of poetic devices such as linguistic features, diction and sounds. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In the first part we will discuss the strategic implementation of poetic structure, followed by the importance of figurative language, and finally word choice. I look forward to your company today, let's get started. Angelou strategically implements the refrain with a divergent structure in her poem, Still I Rise, to successfully emphasize her main ideas and transition to a more future-focused ideology. The refrain or repeated use of a line or phrase at the end of a stanza is used consistently throughout the poem to allow the reader to remember and reflect on important concepts. The expression “Still I Rise” is repeated eleven times throughout the poem including the title. "Still I Rise" is repeated eight times following the main ideas, or in the last line of the verse, as in verse 8, "out of history's huts of shame, I rise, from a past rooted in pain, I rise rise" . This deliberate positioning highlights Angelou's defiance and themes of overcoming adversity, regardless of the circumstances. “Still I Rise” is used seven times in the last two stanzas, developing memory and allowing the reader to remember the essentials later. Furthermore, the author changes her structure from four lines in the first seven stanzas to six and nine lines in the last two stanzas respectively. This change in structure and increased use of repetition, further supported by the change in usage from “you” to “I,” creates a significant change in the tone of the poem. Angelou has triumphed over adversity, breaking the chains of a hateful past, towards a future of hope and aspiration. Therefore, the author's successful use of structure and refrain reinforces the theme of hope and triumph over adversity. The use of figurative language in the poem Still I Rise builds vivid imagery that supports the author's theme. The use of metaphors and similes that incorporate indestructible natural phenomena can be interpreted as a clear and provocative message of strength and perseverance. In stanza 8 the author uses a metaphor to compare her attributes to a "black ocean, rushing and wide." This carefully constructed metaphor is not only a representation of Angelou's qualities, but a reference to the distinctive characteristics of leaders, who together with her triumphed over adversity. This metaphor refers to his fellow African Americans, who just like the unstoppable nature of the ocean tide, never stopped, never stopped.