We, unaccustomed to courage by Maya Angelou — Analysis & Translation

Original Poem

We, unaccustomed to courage exiles from delight live coiled in shells of loneliness until love leaves its high holy temple and comes into our sight to liberate us into life. Love arrives and in its train come ecstasies old memories of pleasure ancient histories of pain. Yet if we are bold, love strikes away the chains of fear from our souls. We are weaned from our timidity In the flush of love's light we dare be brave And suddenly we see that love costs all we are and will ever be. Yet it is only love which sets us free.

Translation (English)

We, not used to being brave outcasts from happiness live wrapped in shells of loneliness until love leaves its sacred place and comes into our view to free us into life. Love arrives and with it come intense joys old memories of happiness ancient stories of pain. But if we are courageous, love removes the chains of fear from our souls. We are freed from our shyness In the glow of love's light we dare to be courageous And suddenly we realize that love demands everything we are and will ever be. Yet it is only love that sets us free.

About the Poet

Maya Angelou (20th Century)

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.

Historical Context

Literary Form: Free verse
When Written: 20th Century
Background: This poem reflects Maya Angelou's exploration of love as a transformative force that liberates individuals from fear and loneliness. It is part of her broader work that often addresses themes of identity, resilience, and the human spirit.

Sources: https://www.azquotes.com/quote/521707, https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/6129-we-unaccustomed-to-courage-exiles-from-delight-live-coiled-in?page=3, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Angelou

Detailed Explanation

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.

Themes

Literary Devices

Word Dictionary

Word	Meaning	Translation	Transliteration
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

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