AmericanPoet

Not every smile stems from happiness; many serve a deeper purpose. In some cases, a smile can be a means of survival. Maya Angelou understood this profoundly. “If you don’t understand Black culture, you might think she’s laughing, but in reality, she’s not,” Maya recalled about a maid she once saw on a New York City bus. This woman's smile inspired Maya to write one of her most famous works. “She would simply part her lips and make a sound—ha, ha, ha, ha.” What made this maid’s smile so remarkable? She carried two shopping bags, and whenever the bus came to a sudden stop, she smiled, when the bus slowed to a gentle halt, she smiled again. At that moment, Maya realized that her laughter was a survival mechanism. Maya once imitated the woman’s hollow laugh on camera, her lips stiffly ...