YOU MAY WRITE ME DOWN IN HISTORY,WITH YOUR BITTER TWISTED LIES,YOU MAY TROD ME IN THE VERY DIRT. BUTSTILL LIKE DUST I'LL RISE.
DOES MY SASSINESS UP SET YOU? WHY ARE YOU BESET WITH GLOOM? IS IT BECAUSE I WALK LIKE I HAVE OIL WELLS PUMPING IN MY LIVING ROOM
JUST LIKE MOONS AND LIKE SUNS, WITH THE CERTAINTY OF TIDES, JUST LIKE HOPES FLYING HIGH, STILL I RISE
DID YOU WANT TO SEE ME BROKEN?BOWED HEAD AND LOWERED EYES! SHOULDERS FALLING DOWN LIKE TEAR DROPS WEAKENED BY MY SOULFUL CRIES
DOES MY HAUGHTINESS OFFEND YOU ? DON'T TAKE IT AWLFUL HARD, I LAUGH LIKE I HAVE GOLD MINES DIGGING IN MY OWN BACK YARD. YOU MAY SHOOT ME WITH YOUR WORDS, YOU MAY CUT ME WITH YOUR EYES,YOU MAY KILL ME WITH YOUR HATEFULNESS BUT STILL, LIKE AIR I'LL RISE .
DOES MY SEXIENESS UPSET YOU? DOES IT COME AS A SUPRISE THAT I DANCE LIKE I HAVE DIAMONDS AT THE MEETING OF MY THIGHS?
OUT OF THE HUTS OF HISTORY'S SHAME.
I RISE.,
UP FROM A PAST THATS ROOTED IN PAIN,
I RISE,
I'M A BLACK OCEAN LEAPING AND WIDE WELLING, SWELLING I BEAR IN THE TIDE.
LEAVING BEHIND NIGHTS OF TERROR AND FEAR,
I RISE,
INTO DAY BREAK THAT'S WOUNDERUSLY CLEAR,
I RISE,
BRINGING THE GIFTS THAT MY ANCESTORS GAVE, I AM THE DREAM AND THE HOPE OF THE SLAVE.
I RISE,
I RISE,
I RISE.................
