Still I Rise

In stanzas two and three, the speaker addresses the oppressor to ask whether her sassiness and sense of self-worth upsets them. She repeats the sentiment that she will rise out of adversity and oppression with unshakable certainty. 

The next three stanzas (stanzas 4-6) question the oppressor again. These stanzas repeat the format seen before: the speaker asks whether her power and confidence are offensive, then tells the oppressor that they may try to destroy her, and ends with the repeated assertion: “I’ll rise” (l. 24).

The last two stanzas follow a slightly different format, which also marks a change in tone. Instead of addressing the oppressor, they center on the speaker’s unwavering strength and self-assurance. The words “I rise” are repeated throughout these final stanzas seven times, like a mantra. The final three lines of the poem consist only of these words, which highlights the poem’s main message: “I rise / I rise / I rise.” (ll. 41-43).