Africa Appearances Quotes

This is a really descriptive passage, but it's also figurative. After all, when was the last time you met someone with sand for hair? (Outside of an Etch-a-Sketch.)

Wow – we're dealing with some seriously epic proportions here. This woman isn't just well-endowed; she's got mountains for breasts. And the Nile River, in case you haven't heard, is pretty long. Picture that as a teardrop, then imagine the size of the body that could produce such a teardrop. See what we're saying?

Strangely enough, this description isn't just one of appearance – it's of appearance over time. Angelou wants to make sure we know that the first stanza is a form of history, just like the other two.