Woman Work
by Maya Angelou
I’ve got the children to tend
The clothes to mend
The floor to mop
The food to shop
Then the chicken to fry
The baby to dry
I got company to feed
The garden to weed
I’ve got shirts to press
The tots to dress
The can to be cut
I gotta clean up this hut
Then see about the sick
And the cotton to pick.
Shine on me, sunshine
Rain on me, rain
Fall softly, dewdrops
And cool my brow again.
Storm, blow me from here
With your fiercest wind
Let me float across the sky
Til I can rest again.
Fall gently, snowflakes
Cover me with white
Cold icy kisses and
Let me rest tonight.
Sun, rain, curving sky
Mountain, oceans, leaf and stone
Star shine, moon glow
You’re all that I can call my own.
Summary of Woman Work
“Woman Work,” published in Maya Angelou’s 1978 collection Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ’til I Come Home, is a poignant and enduring exploration of the tireless labor often shouldered by women. It continues to resonate with readers due to its simple yet powerful depiction of everyday tasks and the quiet strength required to perform them. The poem is not merely about work; it is also about resilience, identity, and the need for restorative peace.
The poem unfolds as a first‑person monologue, a litany of responsibilities undertaken by a woman whose days are consumed by tending to others and maintaining a home. From childcare and cooking to cleaning and agricultural labor, the speaker’s duties are extensive and demanding. While the poem does not explicitly express complaint, the sheer volume of tasks—presented without pause—suggests a longing for respite and self‑care.
The central idea of “Woman Work” revolves around relentless labor, quiet endurance, and a yearning for freedom. The poem beautifully transitions from a catalog of duties to an invocation of natural elements—sunshine, rain, storms, and snow—revealing a desire for escape and rejuvenation. The concluding lines, “Sun, rain, curving sky…You’re all that I can call my own,” suggest a connection to the natural world as a source of solace and a subtle assertion of self‑ownership in a life largely defined by obligation. This quiet claim of personal space embodies a form of feminine resistance and self‑preservation.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in Woman Work
Maya Angelou skillfully employs a variety of literary devices to enhance the poem’s meaning and emotional impact. These devices, presented within the framework of simple, direct language, contribute to the poem’s power and accessibility.
- Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds creates a musical quality that reinforces the poem’s rhythm. For example, the repeated “i” sound in “shine,” “wind,” and “kisses” adds to the lyrical flow, almost like a gentle hum accompanying the speaker’s labor.
- Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words, such as in “clean up this” and “cold icy,” creates emphasis and rhythm, drawing attention to specific phrases and adding a subtle musicality.
- Consonance: The repetition of consonant sounds within words, such as the “t” sound in “tots to” and “cotton to,” adds texture and reinforces certain sounds, subtly highlighting the physical demands and continuous nature of the labor involved.
- Imagery: Angelou evokes vivid sensory experiences through descriptive language. Phrases like “Shine on me, sunshine” and “Fall softly, dewdrops” allow the reader to visualize and feel the natural world, creating a stark contrast with the relentless nature of the speaker’s tasks. This contrast underscores the speaker’s longing for respite.
- Metaphor: The poem uses metaphorical language to convey desire for release. The storm’s call to “blow me from here” and the snowflakes’ wish to “cover me with white” are metaphors for a yearning to escape and find peace from her burdens.
- Symbolism: Recurring symbols represent broader themes. Children and the home symbolize domestic responsibility, while the natural elements—sun, rain, and snow—represent freedom, solace, and a connection to something beyond obligation. The natural world becomes a symbol of the speaker’s inner life and a source of quiet strength.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Woman Work
Beyond literary devices, Angelou employs several poetic techniques that shape the poem’s structure, rhythm, and emotional resonance, creating a work that is both lyrical and deeply resonant.
- Diction: The poem’s language is deliberately simple and accessible, reflecting the everyday nature of the tasks described. This directness lends the poem a sense of authenticity and intimacy, allowing the reader to connect with the speaker on a personal level.
- Rhyme: The poem is written in free verse and does not rely on a formal end‑rhyme scheme. Occasional internal rhymes and near rhymes add musicality without imposing a strict pattern.
- Structure: The poem consists of a series of short, loosely grouped lines rather than formal stanzas. This form mirrors the fragmented, continuous nature of domestic labor.
- Tone: The poem’s tone shifts subtly throughout. Initially it is characterized by a matter‑of‑fact recitation of tasks. As the poem progresses, weariness and longing emerge, culminating in a quiet assertion of self‑ownership. This gradual shift reflects the speaker’s internal journey and growing awareness of her own needs.
Quotes to be Used
The following lines are particularly powerful and representative of the themes within “Woman Work.”
The tots to dress
The can to be cut
I gotta clean up this hut
Then see about the sick
And the cotton to pick.
These lines encapsulate the sheer volume and diversity of the speaker’s responsibilities, highlighting the relentless nature of her labor. They can be used to illustrate the poem’s central themes of endurance, obligation, and the multifaceted nature of women’s work. The rapid succession of tasks creates a sense of exhaustion and emphasizes the speaker’s constant state of being needed. The phrase “I gotta” conveys a sense of inevitability and highlights the speaker’s lack of control over her own time and energy.