“Still, like air, I’ll rise” - Queenie

You may shoot me with your words, you may shoot me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I’ll rise.”

In the poem Still I Rise, poet Maya Angelou used a variety of different poetic devices such as simile, repetition and metaphor through a proud tone to convey the theme of confidence and hope.

Poetic Devices

As mentioned above, poetic devices of simile, repetition and metaphor was used in this poem.

Angelou used simile consistently throughout the poem.  One example can be found in line 4, “But still, like dust, I’ll rise.” Simile was used to create an imagery of a rising cloud of dust, thereby enables the reader to connect the picture and her will, as well as her confidence of always getting up from any situation.

Repetition was also used throughout the poem, especially with the frequent use of “I rise”.  This poetic device was used to emphasis the amount of hope and confidence she has when facing difficulties and struggles, as well as showing the importance of never giving up by constantly repeating “I rise”.

The use of metaphor can be found in line 33, “I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide.”  The color black often shows a sense of fear of evil.  By using “black ocean” to describe herself and her own race, Angelou believes she is capable to face all difficulties and free as the ocean.

Theme

The main theme of this poem is confidence and hope, as Angelou frequently repeated “I rise” and described that she will always stand up and rise like dust no matter what difficulties or struggles she is facing.  However, is being confident the best solution towards discrimination? Could confidence and hope solve the still-existing discrimination?