Tears

Tears - fact Summary

Published in and Still I Rise

Maya Angelou's poem Tears appears in 1978 in the collection And Still I Rise. The short piece focuses on suffering and loss through stark, tactile imagery such as crystal rags and worn-through soul, to convey the persistence of grief. In keeping with Angelou's larger work, it links personal hardship with resilience, offering a concise, accessible glimpse into how sorrow can be endured and transformed. The piece invites readers to consider how pain shapes identity, memory, and hope.