Motivational Poem: Human Family by Maya Angelou

I note the obvious differences
in the human family.
Some of us are serious,
Somee thrive on comedy.

Some declare their lives are lived
as true profundity,
and others claim they really live
the real reality.

The variety of our skin tones
can confuse, bemuse, delight,
brown and pink and beige and purple,
tan and blue and white.

I’ve sailed upon the seven seas
and stopped in every land,
I’ve seen the wonders of the world
not yet one common man.

I know ten thousand women
called Jane and Mary Jane,
but I’ve not seen any two
who really were the same.

Mirror twins are different
although their features jibe,
and lovers think quite different thoughts
while lying side by side.

We love and lose in China,
we weep on England’s moors,
and laugh and moan in Guinea,
and thrive on Spanish shores.

We seek success in Finland,
are born and die in Maine.
In minor ways, we differ,
in major, we’re the same.

I note the obvious differences
between each sort and type,
but we are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.

We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.

Maya Angelou’s poem “Human Family” beautifully emphasizes the shared humanity that unites us all, transcending our differences. Through concise language and repetition, Angelou highlights the universality of human emotions, hopes, and experiences. The poem acknowledges the obvious distinctions among people—serious versus comedic, profound versus practical—but ultimately asserts that these differences are superficial compared to our fundamental similarities. Angelou’s message of acceptance echoes the civil rights struggles of her time, emphasizing unity and equality.

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