Easter Wednesday: I'll Rise

Easter Sunday kicks off a week in the liturgical calendar known as the Easter Octave and a seven-week festival called Eastertide. Stay tuned for a variety of celebratory posts here on the blog!

The Dreamer by Steve Prince (source)

I'll Rise

“You may write me down in history
With your bitter twisted lies
You may trod me down in the very dirt
And still like the dust I’ll rise

Does my happiness upset you
Why are you best with gloom
Cause I laugh like I’ve got an oil well
Pumpin’ in my living room

So you may shoot me with your words
You may cut me with your eyes
And I’ll rise
I’ll rise
I’ll rise

Out of the shacks of history’s shame
Up from a past rooted in pain
I’ll rise
I’ll rise
I’ll rise

Now did you want to see me broken
Bowed head and lowered eyes
Shoulders fallen down like tear drops
Weakened by my soulful cries

Does my confidence upset you
Don’t you take it awful hard
Cause I walk like I’ve got a diamond mine
Breakin up in my front yard

So you may shoot me with your words
You may cut me with your eyes
And I’ll rise
I’ll rise
I’ll rise

Out of the shacks of history’s shame
Up from a past rooted in pain
I’ll rise
I’ll rise
I’ll rise

So you may write me down in history
With your bitter twisted lies
You may trod me down in the very dirt
And still like the dust I’ll rise

Does my happiness upset you
Why are you best with gloom
Cause I laugh like I’ve got a goldmine
Diggin’ up in my living room

Now you may shoot me with your words
You may cut me with your eyes
And I’ll rise
I’ll rise
I’ll rise

Out of the shacks of history’s shame
Up from a past rooted in pain
I’ll rise
I’ll rise
I’ll rise”

— I'll Rise, written by Maya Angelou & sung by Ben Harper

Listen to I'll Rise, written by Maya Angelou ("Still I'll Rise") and sung by Ben Harper: Spotify | YouTube

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(Read Eastertide posts from previous years here.)