Martyna
Chilczuk
"Still I Rise"
POEM LAYOUT
This project is a three-page book series featuring Maya Angelou’s poem Still I Rise, created for a collage assignment. Each page was designed to capture a different emotional response I experienced while listening to Angelou recite her poem. Together, the three pieces reflect distinct moods and perspectives, showcasing the range of feelings the poem evoked in me.
1. Strength
The first design is bold and strong. It represents power, strength, and isolation. It shows how Maya had to struggle in her life to achieve her dreams and how she had to do it alone. But despite these tough times, Angelou never gave up, no matter what event occurred in her life. She was standing strong, which is represented by the bold letter “R”.
2. Chaos
The second design is more disordered and erratic. By adding disorder, I wanted to show the tough and emotional journey of Angelou, which seemed full of chaos, the unknown, and uncertainty. Her story was full of difficult and traumatic experiences and fears that she bravely overcame. This is shown by the gradual transition from a chaotic design with blurred text and strange shapes to a more organized, simple design that looks more cohesive.
3. Joy
The third design is more playful and intentionally less structured, giving the impression that the letters were arranged almost at random, like a child’s handwriting. It reflects the playful side of Maya Angelou as she reads the poem. Despite the hardships in her story, her delivery carries a sense of triumph, as if she’s saying, “You thought you could bring me down, but I still won.” I found this combination of resilience and joy inspiring, and wanted to capture that spirit visually through a more whimsical layout.
The mockup of three designes inspired by Maya Angelou’s Poem.