Maya Angelou
My wish for you
Is that you continue
Continue
To be who and how you are
To astonish a mean world
With your acts of kindness
Continue
To allow humor to lighten the burden
Of your tender heart
Continue
In a society dark with cruelty
To let the people hear the grandeur
Of God in the peals of your laughter
Continue
To let your eloquence
Elevate the people to heights
They had only imagined
Continue
To remind the people that
Each is as good as the other
And that no one is beneath
Nor above you
Continue
To remember your own young years
And look with favor upon the lost
And the least and the lonely
Continue
To put the mantle of your protection
Around the bodies of
The young and defenseless
Continue
To take the hand of the despised
And diseased and walk proudly with them
In the high street
Some might see you and
Be encouraged to do likewise
Continue
To plant a public kiss of concern
On the cheek of the sick
And the aged and infirm
And count that as a
Natural action to be expected
Continue
To let gratitude be the pillow
Upon which you kneel to
Say your nightly prayer
And let faith be the bridge
You build to overcome evil
And welcome good
Continue
To ignore no vision
Which comes to enlarge your range
And increase your spirit
Continue
To dare to love deeply
And risk everything
For the good thing
Continue
To float
Happily in the sea of infinite substance
Which set aside riches for you
Before you had a name
Continue
And by doing so
You and your work
Will be able to continue
Eternally
§§§
With appreciation to my friend Hal Bauer, who sent me this poem.
Update 01/01/2020. I did not realize I lacked the full text of the poem. Click on this to read it in full.
Tags: Maya Angelou
Phil Ebersole's Blog 
March 13, 2016 at 11:45 pm |
Thank you for posting such a timely reminder, in amongst all the things pestering us for their attention yet unworthy of it. W (K & I) have a volume of her poetry on our bookshelves, among all those books less worthy but occupying more space; and here you are as a pointer-out of that which is most deserving of attention.
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September 22, 2017 at 12:24 am |
beautiful line of this poem “To allow humor to lighten the burden
Of your tender heart”, i like it. 🙂
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November 10, 2019 at 2:56 pm |
Tears welling
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November 10, 2019 at 4:26 pm |
Good stuff!
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November 11, 2019 at 9:37 am |
It’s a wonderful poem. You have an error in the paragraph beginning, “To remind people…” It should read, “And that”.
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November 11, 2019 at 10:14 am |
Thank you. Fixed.
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November 12, 2019 at 12:27 pm |
This is so beautiful!
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November 12, 2019 at 10:11 pm |
Beautiful work by a beautiful woman. Miss her.
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November 13, 2019 at 10:12 am |
Inspiring
This makes my heart sing in harmony with this poem
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November 14, 2019 at 2:01 pm |
Beautiful Lady and beautifully written, if we could all believe that this were true.
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November 17, 2019 at 6:32 am |
It’s true if one wants it to be true for themselves. One person at a time.
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November 14, 2019 at 2:15 pm |
[…] SO very pertinent to me during this time. The poem is titled ‘Continue’ and the link is here. I’m going to continue and I appreciate you sticking with me, no matter what side of the door […]
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November 15, 2019 at 11:42 am |
Maya Angelou was clearly a Woman in touch with the collective goodness in the human race. In this day, I believe that it is absolutely imperative that every human being make the choice to embrace the best qualities of Being human, while also rejecting the more bestial urges and instincts, because we have everything we need to rise above the current madness which has possessed the human condition. “Continue”, indeed!
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November 15, 2019 at 1:58 pm |
Absolutely true Continue to be who you are. Beautiful.
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November 17, 2019 at 5:47 am |
I needed this.
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November 17, 2019 at 11:24 am |
Beautifully written poem❣️ We should teach all these attributes to our children. Then encourage them to pass it on to their children‼️
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November 17, 2019 at 12:58 pm |
Good stuff. Quite inspiring.
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November 17, 2019 at 4:19 pm |
[…] Angelou wrote a poem called Continue. Here’s a part of it: My wish for you Is that you continue Continue To be who and how you are To […]
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November 17, 2019 at 10:23 pm |
Beautiful. Does anyone know when this was written? I’ve read 2016, but she passed in 2014.
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November 17, 2019 at 11:13 pm |
That is beautiful! I talk and am nice to ALL people, I care not what race they are, where they came from and I run into some very nice African Americans and I get hugs because people don’t show them the respect I give them. Many times they thank me for giving them a better day. One day a lady was sitting on a bench 😢 crying and I sat next to her, put my arm around her, and she responded with a slight smile 😊 for making her day. She didn’t speak too much English, but let me know what she meant. I might have made her day, but they all made my day! 🤗😘😊
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November 18, 2019 at 4:38 am |
This brought me back to where I used to be and u fortunately have drifted from. I am just not sure how to constantly maintain this in this world. When I asked my friend shortly before he passed what had happened to him, he .after of factly said, “The World”. I pray and hope to constantly not let “The World”, happen to
me. Amen
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November 18, 2019 at 8:51 am |
So much scripture in her poems. Makes my heart full every time I read her work.
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November 20, 2019 at 8:43 am |
Thank you for sharing this poem. It is a very welcome and needed response to the world we’re living in now. Reminds me of what and who I am.
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November 20, 2019 at 12:52 pm |
Wonderful as ever. I love love this Lady. She told me we were majestic and she could see why people say I remind them of her. RIP Queen 🌻❤️🌻
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November 20, 2019 at 11:09 pm |
[…] CONTINUE: a poem – A […]
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November 21, 2019 at 5:40 am |
[…] My wish for you Is that you continue Continue To be who and how you are To astonish a mean world With your acts of kindness Continue To allow humor to lighten the burden Of your tender heart Continue In a society dark with cruelty To let the people hear the grandeur Of God in the peals of your laughter Continue To let your eloquence Elevate the people to heights They had only imagined Continue To remind the people that Each is as good as the other And that no one is beneath Nor above you Continue To remember your own young years And look with favor upon the lost And the least and the lonely Continue To put the mantel of your protection Around the bodies of The young and defenseless Continue To take the hand of the despised And diseased and walk proudly with them In the high street Some might see you and Be encouraged to do likewise Continue To plant a public kiss of concern On the cheek of the sick And the aged and infirm And count that as a Natural action to be expected Continue To let gratitude be the pillow Upon which you kneel to Say your nightly prayer And let faith be the bridge You build to overcome evil And welcome good Continue To ignore no vision Which comes to enlarge your range And increase your spirit Continue To dare to love deeply And risk everything For the good thing Continue To float Happily in the sea of infinite substance Which set aside riches for you Before you had a name Continue And by doing so You and your work Will be able to continue Eternally (Source: Maya Angelou) […]
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November 23, 2019 at 8:41 pm |
Wisdom from the mouth of God’s Baby!!!
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November 24, 2019 at 9:35 am |
What A Poetic Gesture….What A Beautiful Way
To Be…What A World If Everyone Would See Life This Way
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November 30, 2019 at 6:51 pm |
Such beautiful words to live by!
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December 7, 2019 at 7:38 am |
[…] Continue: A Poem by Maya Angelou […]
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December 11, 2019 at 8:04 am |
Beautiful words!
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December 31, 2019 at 9:58 am |
Just the BEST- Always
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December 31, 2019 at 1:28 pm |
Lovely poem. I’m pretty sure, however, that it should be “To put the mantle of your protection/Around the bodies of/The young and defenseless” (as opposed to “mantel”; a whole other thing).
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December 31, 2019 at 1:51 pm |
Thanks. Fixed.
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December 31, 2019 at 5:47 pm |
Spread the word of love
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December 31, 2019 at 9:26 pm |
So glad I found this; Maya Angelou has always spoken such strong truth. Perfect time to share this; just before the New Year begins.
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January 1, 2020 at 11:30 am |
I sent this to myself so I can copy and distribute to those who do not have access to the internet. Thank you for your creativity and sharing.
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January 1, 2020 at 11:34 am |
God bless that you will continue to be your same self as before: loving, kind, sweet, silly, funny ,etc. I love you Kim. And my prayers are with you.
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January 1, 2020 at 11:38 am |
This truly moved me and motivates me to “continue”.
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January 1, 2020 at 2:18 pm |
Thank you for providing this excerpt of a beautiful poem with heart filling reminders.
The full poem is contained here: https://www.leeanatankersley.com/continue/
Happy New Year, New Decade
May you all continue ….
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January 1, 2020 at 3:35 pm |
Just what I needed to here this New Years Day. Thank you for the encouragement.
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January 1, 2020 at 4:58 pm |
[…] via CONTINUE: a poem […]
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January 1, 2020 at 10:32 pm |
Thank you for sharing!!! Awesome 👏
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January 2, 2020 at 8:45 am |
[…] via CONTINUE: a poem […]
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January 2, 2020 at 9:17 am |
Very beautiful poem. I just love her words so much. Bravo to her she live on and on in her words forever. I have a dream that my words will live on and on forever. The creation of forming a story of your imagination in words is powerful.
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January 2, 2020 at 10:16 am |
What a beautiful poem ; if only people would do those things, what a wonderful world this would be ! Thank you, Maya Angelou, for leaving us with such thought provoking words !
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January 2, 2020 at 10:58 am |
Wow! what a great way to start the new year 2020. “To be who and how you are to astonish a mean world with your acts of Kindness”
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January 2, 2020 at 5:29 pm |
How beautiful! Thank you.,so much!
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January 3, 2020 at 7:57 am |
With each breath I took to read this well spoken poem I took in the help I need to advance and move foward to not get stuck , for life will embrace each step.
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January 3, 2020 at 11:15 am |
I love the concept of continue, we are all a work in progress and as such, we are never done
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January 3, 2020 at 4:27 pm |
So true. A vision expressed thru the heart.
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January 3, 2020 at 9:32 pm |
[…] My wish for youIs that you continueContinueTo be who and how you areTo astonish a mean worldWith your acts of kindnessContinueTo allow humor to lighten the burdenOf your tender heartContinueIn a society dark with crueltyTo let the people hear the grandeurOf God in the peals of your laughterContinueTo let your eloquenceElevate the people to heightsThey had only imaginedContinueTo remind the people thatEach is as good as the otherAnd that no one is beneathNor above youContinueTo remember your own young yearsAnd look with favor upon the lostAnd the least and the lonelyContinueTo put the mantel of your protectionAround the bodies ofThe young and defenselessContinueTo take the hand of the despisedAnd diseased and walk proudly with themIn the high streetSome might see you andBe encouraged to do likewiseContinueTo plant a public kiss of concernOn the cheek of the sickAnd the aged and infirmAnd count that as aNatural action to be expectedContinueTo let gratitude be the pillowUpon which you kneel toSay your nightly prayerAnd let faith be the bridgeYou build to overcome evilAnd welcome goodContinueTo ignore no visionWhich comes to enlarge your rangeAnd increase your spiritContinueTo dare to love deeplyAnd risk everythingFor the good thingContinueTo floatHappily in the sea of infinite substanceWhich set aside riches for youBefore you had a nameContinueAnd by doing soYou and your workWill be able to continueEternally(Source: Maya Angelou) […]
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January 4, 2020 at 11:18 am |
I would add, “nor wisdom” after vision as it would also fit nicely.
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