Question

ques and ans from the poem maya angeleous

Answer 1

The writer is drawing from the centuries of mistreatment and oppression of black people.  Ironically the first two lines are about writing:

'You may write me down in history 
with your bitter twisted lies...

Here she is referring to how writing can poison the minds of the oppressors.

She then continues referring to physical condemnation:

'You may trod me in the very dust....'

Essentially the poem is about triumph over adversity.  It is about strength and courage, and fortitude.  It is about not accepting one's vulnerability in the face of domination.  And basically it is about joining together with one voice and saying, we will overcome!

'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.