US author claims inspirational words on new Maya Angelou stamp didn't come from her

The US Postal Service have launched a new stamp using the inspirational words of author Maya Angelou – but another writer claims they didn't come from her.

The stamp says "A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song," and attributed to the celebrated poet and civil rights activist, who died last year aged 86.

But children's book author Joan Walsh Anglund, 89, says she isn't getting credit where credit is due.

"Yes, that's my quote," Anglund told the Washington Post.

It appears on page 15 of her book of poems A Cup of Suns, published in 1967.

Only the pronouns and punctuation are changed, from “he” in Anglund’s original to “it” on the stamp.

Anglund said she had not heard about the launch of the stamp, unveiled on Tuesday at a ceremony in Washington attended by luminaries such as First Lady Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey, until Monday.

"I haven’t read all of her things, and I love her things, of course," Anglund said.

"But I think it easily happens sometimes that people hear something, and it’s kind of going into your subconscious and you don’t realise it."

After being issued a 'please explain', US Postal Service spokesman Mark Saunders cited a 2013 blog post interview that quoted Angelou saying the phrase, and said "numerous sources" attributed the quote to her as well.

"Had we known about this issue beforehand, we would have used one of (Angelou’s) many other works. . . . The sentence held great meaning for her and she is publicly identified with its popularity," Mr Saunders said.

Angland said she does not begrudge Angelou for the mix up.

"It’s an interesting connection, and interesting it would happen and already be printed and on her stamp,” Anglund said.

"I love her and all she’s done, and I also love my own private thinking that also comes to the public because it comes from what I’ve been thinking and how I’ve been feeling.

"I don’t know about the stamp and I hope that it’s successful."

Source: Washington Post