Seek solitude. Maya Angelou reportedly writes in complete solitude in hotel rooms, with only her paper, a bottle of sherry, playing cards, a thesaurus and the Bible. By early afternoon, she emerges with an average of 10-12 pages of writing, which she then edits in the evening.
Turn your poem's title into the refrain. In poems such as "Alone" and "I Rise," she repeats the titles throughout the rest of the poem as a refrain or chorus.
Write about women's issues. Poems such as "Phenomenal Woman" and "Woman Work" deal with trials and triumphs exclusive to women and include Angelou's take on the feminine mystique.
Get political. In her poem, "These Yet to Be United States," Angelou tackles tough political issues of her own country, such as America's nuclear weapons and international relations.
Emphasize people's commonalities. In her poem, "Human Family," Angelou analyzes the human experience that unites us all, and eventually concludes that "we are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike."
Use select poetry conventions. Angelou makes use of rhyme, metre and stanzas in her poetry.
Record your own readings of your poems. Angelou has recorded several spoken word albums, including "An Evening with Maya Angelou" (1975) and "Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now" (1993).