Awakening in New York is a popular poem by Maya Angelou that perfectly describes the experience of a person who finds themselves in the vibrant atmosphere of New York City. The poem talks about the themes of self-identity, empowerment, and the conflict between a person’s inner and outer life. Born in 1928, Maya Angelou was a renowned American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She was known for autobiographies, especially ‘I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings.’
Curtains forcing their will
against the wind,
children sleep,
exchanging dreams with
seraphim. The city
drags itself awake on
subway straps; and
I, an alarm, awake as a
rumor of war,
lie stretching into dawn,
unasked and unheeded.