Phenomenal Woman

While at the Dennison Railroad Festival today, Shal'eka, the 2009 Dennison 1st Attendant, gave a speech inspired by Maya Angelou's poem, Phenomenal Woman. She spoke of how women shouldn't need to hide behind makeup and fake tans. Her speech was very thought-provoking and brought many of us to tears, I'm sure.

Ohio's weather was quite bipolar today. When my mom, dad, and I left Canal Fulton this morning it was pouring down rain. When we arrived in Dennison, it was humid, sunny, and hot! During the parade, it started downpouring again.

The festival was quite entertaining, probably one of the craziest and one of my favorites for sure. We toured the Railroad Depot, my dad "broke into" the Bilzzard's car, the weather was nuts, the luncheon was emotional, and a drunken man had the parade stopped for a good 3 minutes.

That is all for now!

With Love,
Ashliegh
2009 Olde Canal Days Queen

-Phenomenal Woman-
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

-Maya Angelou-