A tragic event took place in the life of Maya Angelou. She was a little child, only 7 years old. That would mean she was only the age of an average first grader. She was then sexually assaulted and raped by her mother's boyfriend. Maya wasn't allowed to see her mother very often and it's horrible that this happened at one of the only times she should have been so happy and having fun. Maya lived very far from her mother and was usually at her grandmother's house. These visits were rare to say the least. Shortly after, Maya's uncle killed the man who raped her in revenge for what he had done. His actions, although meant to be good and for the better, messed things up even more. This didn't help and added to the stress of the whole situation. It was too much for Maya to handle everything at once and at such a young age. She stopped talking for a very long time. It was very difficult for her to cope with what had happened. Maya's poetry expresses the sadness and struggle she went through during this time in her life. Maya Angelou's poetry contains bold messages and gives voice to individuals who sometimes do not have the courage or ability to speak for themselves. Just as she didn't have the ability to speak all these years, she is an example to others in situations similar to hers. Three poems in which the topic of empowerment runs very deep are “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” “Still I Rise,” and “Phenomenal Woman.” Maya Angelou has endured many other things in her life besides rape. This is not the only event that contributed to his poetry writing. She was born April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. At a young age, Maya's parent...... middle of paper ......ca, 1997): pp. Cited as “Still I Rise” and the Black Spiritual “Rise and Shine”” in Harold Bloom, ed. Maya Angelou, Bloom's main poets. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 2001. (Updated 2007.) Bloom's Literature. Facts about File, Inc. Web. April 30, 2014. “Maya Angelou Biography.” Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, January 1, 2014. Web. April 30, 2014..Thursby, Jacqueline S. "'Bird in a Cage'." Critical companion to Maya Angelou: literary reference to her life and work, critical companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2011. Bloom Literature. Facts about File, Inc. Web. April 30. 2014 .