Weekend Glory

Weekend Glory

Some clitchy folks

don't know the facts,

posin' and preenin'

and puttin' on acts,

stretchin' their backs.

They move into condos 

up over the ranks,

pawn their souls 

to the local banks.

Buying big cars

they can't afford,

ridin' around town

actin' bored.

If they want to learn how to live life right

they ought to study me on Saturday night.

My job at the plant 

ain't the biggest bet,

but i pay my bills

and stay out of debt.

I get my hair done

for my own self's sake,

so i don't have to pick

and I don't have to rake.

Take the church money out

and head cross town

to my friend girl's house

where we plan our round.

We meet our men and go to a joint

where the music is blue

and to the point.

Folks write about me.

They just can't see

how i work all week

at the factory.

Then get spruced up 

and laugh and dance

And turn away from worry 

with sassy glance.

They accuse me of livin'

from day to day,

but who aret hey kiddin'?

So are they.

My life ain't heaven

but it sure ain't hell.

I'm not on top 

but i call it swell

if I'm able to work

and get paid right

and have the luck to be Black

on a Saturday Night.

This poem is by my favorite poet, Maya Angelou.  I see Maya Angelou as a very bold, confident, and down to earth woman.  The poem starts off by her criticizing the "upper class," but then she goes on to say that she's glad to be how she and that she'd rather haver her ways than theirs, "but if they want to learn to live life right, they ought to study me on a saturday night."  She then continues on to describe her not very rewarding job but not in a way of complaint or disappointment, "my job at the plant ain't the biggest bet, but i pay my bills and stay out of debt."  Then she paints a picture of her fun weekend life after her week at the factory, and that people might not understand how she works so hard and plays so hard, but that she loves her life and maybe even feels superior to the "upper class" because she's so content and happy with the life she leads, and doesn't need all the fancy stuff to have fun.  This poem summarizes and exemplifies her attributes in a beautiful way.  I wish that I could be more like Maya by being so content and happy with what I have.  Society could be greatly benefited in many ways if we were to share Maya's views on life.  This poem actually reminds me of weekend life in Edina.  However, our weekends are more like the people's that she criticizes, "ridin' around town, actin' bored."  I'm jealous that she can let loose in such a simple way, when a lot of people in our area are bored with whatever they do during the weekends.  Maya Angelou is an inspiration, and this poem summarizes her content and confident life.

Angelou, Maya. "Weekend Glory." Poem Hunter.  2 October 2008.