Last night my writer friend Carol and I drove up to Denton to the campus of the University of North Texas, where Benji and Greta Bruneel hosted us in their home for dinner before walking across the street to hear Maya Angelou.

Angelou (prounounced with a long o: AN-gel-o) is a scholar who knows at least four languages. She's a poet, playwright, editor, actress, director, and teacher. She is best known for her autobiographical work, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1970), which tells the story of a black girl growing up during the Great Depression. She entered the American consciousness with her reading of "On the Pulse of Morning" at President Clinton's inauguration.

Her poetry, some of which she read last night to the delight of the crowd, explores issues connected to the black experience. I loved her piece, "Phenomenal Woman." You can read it here. It takes a sec to load but is well worth the wait.