A Moment With Maya

It's not often that you get to spend time with people who are giants in their field. In my previous job as a producer for Minnesota Public Radio, I had that experience on several occasions, and while it eventually became routine, I often reminded myself that having the chance to meet and interact with extraordinarily talented individuals should always be appreciated. And so today, when I heard the news that poet Maya Angelou had died, I took a moment to remember and appreciate the hour I spent with her in October 2007.

Ms. Angelou was in town that October for a speaking engagement, and I had spent several weeks trying to arrange for her to be interviewed by Kerri Miller on MPR's Midmorning program. While her handlers indicated she was interested in doing an interview, they also made it clear that she would not be able to come to the MPR studios to do an interview. Her time was limited, and her lack of mobility made travel difficult. So we improvised and decided to bring the interview to her hotel.

We met Ms. Angelou in a section of the hotel restaurant that had been closed off to the public. She was a tiny, frail-looking woman, impeccably dressed. After introductions, the first order of business was a cocktail. She ordered a screwdriver, took a few sips, and then the interview began. And while Ms. Angelou might have been small in stature, the moment she started speaking her presence filled every crevice in the room, and she suddenly seemed larger than life. It was astonishing.

During the interview, Ms. Angelou was warm, wise, humble, funny, and sharp as a knife. She quoted Shakespeare and recited poetry with ease. She spoke about the difficulty of writing, of truly being able to capture what you're thinking, how words "run from the writer," and how hard she works at her craft. Despite all the accolades and the critics who call her a "natural writer," she said, "I've never been able to say exactly what I mean." It was impossible not to hang on every word, because every word seemed so imbued with meaning and wisdom.

Kerri Miller's interview with Maya Angelou can be found here.