We, unaccustomed to courage
This poem by Maya Angelou explores the transformative power of love. It begins by describing how people, often unaccustomed to courage, live in isolation and loneliness until love appears. Love is depicted as a liberating force that frees individuals from their shells of loneliness. As love arrives, it brings with it both joy and the memories of past pleasures and pains. The poem suggests that being bold and embracing love can break the chains of fear that bind the soul. In the presence of love, people find the courage to be brave, realizing that love demands everything they are and will ever be. Despite its demands, love is portrayed as the only force that truly sets individuals free, highlighting its essential role in personal liberation and fulfillment.
| Word | In English | Plain (English) | Pron. |
|---|---|---|---|
| unaccustomed | not used to | not familiar with | uhn-uh-kuhs-tuhmd |
| exiles | outcasts | people who are separated from their home or happiness | ek-sahylz |
| coiled | wrapped | twisted or wound into a circular shape | koyld |
| temple | sacred place | a place of worship or reverence | tem-puhl |
| ecstasies | joys | intense feelings of happiness or pleasure | ek-stuh-seez |
| timidity | shyness | lack of courage or confidence | ti-mid-i-tee |
| flush | glow | a sudden rush of color or light | fluhsh |
| brave | courageous | having courage | brayv |
| liberate | free | make free | lib-uh-reyt |
| chains | bonds | something that restricts or confines | cheynz |
| weaned | freed | gradually freed from a dependency | weend |
| dare | have the courage | to have the courage to do something | dair |
| costs | demands | requires or demands | kawsts |
| sets | frees | makes free | sets |
Maya Angelou was an American memoirist, essayist, poet, and civil rights activist. She published several books of poetry and is known for her autobiographies, including 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings'. Angelou was a prominent figure in the Civil Rights Movement and worked with leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
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