Masks

“Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou (1978)

Unlike the “she” and “he” in “Masks,” the woman in Maya Angelou’s poem has no qualms about showing off her unique traits. “I walk into a room / Just as cool as you please,” she states. The speaker of the poem brims with confidence. She asserts her distinguishing characteristics—her “blue skin”—with aplomb. Similar to “Masks,” what makes this woman phenomenal remains elusive. No one can grasp this woman’s “inner mystery.” Both “Masks” and “Phenomenal Woman” imply individuality is hard to pinpoint, yet that doesn’t stop the woman from broadcasting her inscrutable, alluring singularity.

“Little Abigail and the Beautiful Pony” by Shel Silverstein (1981)

“Little Abigail and the Beautiful Pony” comes from Silverstein’s book of poems A Light in the Attic (1981). This poem reflects the idea in “Masks” that people and things can’t always end up together. Here, it’s not a girl and a boy who remain apart but a girl named Abigail and a pony. While driving through the country with her parents, Abigail spots a “beautiful sad-eyed” pony. The pony captivates Abigail. She must have it. She says if she doesn’t have it, she’ll die. Her parents refuse to get her the pony, so Abigail dies.