7 Nikki Giovanni Poems Every Black Woman Should Read
Prairie View A&M University’s Toni Morrison Writing Program hosted a public lecture for Nikki Giovanni. The lecture took place at The Ensemble Theatre in Houston, at 7 p.m. Giovanni read and reflected on her work as part of her appointment as writer-in-residence. Source: Nicholas Hunt/Office of Marketing and Communications/Prairie View A&M / Getty
World-renowned American poet, author, and educator Nikki Giovanni has died at the age of 81. According to AP, Giovanni died with her lifelong partner, Virginia (Ginney) Fowler, by her side, which was confirmed to AP by friend and author Renée Watson.
“We will forever feel blessed to have shared a legacy and love with our dear cousin,” Allison (Pat) Ragan, Giovanni’s cousin, said in a statement on behalf of the family.
Giovanni was a one-of-a-kind writing talent who tackled everything from racism to love to life and death in her works. An author of more than 25 books, Giovanni was a natural-born writer and performer. Her poetry collections have sold thousands of copies, leading to invitations to some of the biggest television shows, including The Tonight Show.
Often known as the “Princess of Black Poetry,” Giovanni championed the Black Power Movement in her poems and paid tribute to legends like Nina Simone and Angela Davis. She also helped pave the way by editing an anthology of Black women poets called Night Comes Softly.
Amazingly enough, Nikki Giovanni never stopped writing. When she died, she was working on her last book of poetry, The Last Book, which is set to come out in 2025.
Below are some Nikki Giovanni poems that will lift your spirits while going through something. Poetry can speak to the soul, and Giovanni knew that.
Nikki Giovanni participates in the Phillis Wheatley Poetry Festival celebrating the bicentennial publication of poems in the Jacob L. Reddix Campus Union at Jackson State College on Novemver 7th, 1973. Source: Jackson State University / Getty
Balances
In life
one is always
balancing
like we juggle our mothers
against our fathers
or one teacher
against another
(only to balance our grade average)
3 grains of salt
to one ounce truth
our sweet black essence
or the funky honkies down the street
and lately i’ve begun wondering
if you’re trying to tell me something
we used to talk all night
and do things alone together
and i’ve begun
(as a reaction to a feeling)
to balance
the pleasure of loneliness
against the pain
of loving you
– Nikki Giovanni
Portrait of American poet and author Nikki Giovanni sits beside a window in her hotel room, Chicago, Illinois, May 1, 1978. Source: Antonio Dickey / Getty
And I Have You
Rain has drops
Sun has shine
Moon has beams
That make you mine
Rivers have banks
Sands for shores
Hearts have heartbeats
That make me yours
Needles have eyes
Though pins may prick
Elmer has glue
To make things stick
Winter has Spring
Stockings feet
Pepper has mint
To make it sweet
Teachers have lessons
Soup du jour
Lawyers sue bad folks
Doctors cure
All and all
This much is true
You have me
An I have you
– Nikki Giovanni
Portrait of poet Nikki Giovanni on the occasion of receiving the Mademoiselle award at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. Source: WWD / Getty
A Poem Of Friendship
We are not lovers
because of the love
we make
but the love
we have
We are not friends
because of the laughs
we spend
but the tears
we save
I don’t want to be near you
for the thoughts we share
but the words we never have
to speak
I will never miss you
because of what we do
but what we are
together
– Nikki Giovanni
Nikki Giovanni, a New York Times Bestsellers List author talks to participants after The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority commemorated Black History Month with a special event at Reagan Washington National Airport involving students in the celebration of African American history. Local high students competed in a Poetry Slam judged by Nikki Giovanni. Source: The Washington Post / Getty
Beautiful Black Men
(With compliments and apologies to all not mentioned by name)
i wanta say just gotta say something
bout those beautiful beautiful beautiful outasight
black men
with they afros
walking down the street
is the same ol danger
but a brand new pleasure
sitting on stoops, in bars, going to offices
running numbers, watching for their whores
preaching in churches, driving their hogs
walking their dogs, winking at me
in their fire red, lime green, burnt orange
royal blue tight tight pants that hug
what i like to hug
jerry butler, wilson pickett, the impressions
temptations, mighty mighty sly
don’t have to do anything but walk
on stage
and i scream and stamp and shout
see new breed men in breed alls
dashiki suits with shirts that match
the lining that compliments the ties
that smile at the sandals
where dirty toes peek at me
and i scream and stamp and shout
for more beautiful beautiful beautiful
black men with outasight afros
– Nikki Giovanni
Close-up of American poet and activist Nikki Giovanni, New York, New York, February 1970. The photo was taken a part of a shoot for Vogue magazine. Source: Jack Robinson / Getty
Mothers
the last time i was home
to see my mother we kissed
exchanged pleasantries
and unpleasantries pulled a warm
comforting silence around
us and read separate books
i remember the first time
i consciously saw her
we were living in a three room
apartment on burns avenue
mommy always sat in the dark
i don’t know how i knew that but she did
that night i stumbled into the kitchen
maybe because i’ve always been
a night person or perhaps because i had wet
the bed
she was sitting on a chair
the room was bathed in moonlight diffused through
those thousands of panes landlords who rented
to people with children were prone to put in windows
she may have been smoking but maybe not
her hair was three-quarters her height
which made me a strong believer in the samson myth
and very black
i’m sure i just hung there by the door
i remember thinking: what a beautiful lady
she was very deliberately waiting
perhaps for my father to come home
from his night job or maybe for a dream
that had promised to come by
“come here” she said “i’ll teach you
a poem: i see the moon
the moon sees me
god bless the moon
and god bless me”
i taught it to my son
who recited it for her
just to say we must learn
to bear the pleasures
as we have borne the pains
– Nikki Giovanni
Nikki Giovanni performs during the Represent! A Night Of Jazz Hip Hop & Spoken Word at New Jersey Performing Arts Center on November 19, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey. Source: Udo Salters Photography / Getty
Love Is
Some people forget that love is
tucking you in and kissing you
‘Good night’
no matter how young or old you are
Some people don’t remember that
love is
listening and laughing and asking
questions
no matter what your age
Few recognize that love is
commitment, responsibility
no fun at all
unless
Love is
You and me
– Nikki Giovanni
Nikki Giovanni appears for the “Going To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” photo op during the 61st New York Film Festival at Furman Gallery on September 30, 2023 in New York City. Source: Michael Loccisano / Getty
I’m Not Lonely
I’m not lonely
sleeping all alone
you think i’m scared
but i’m a big girl
i don’t cry or anything
I have a great
big bed to roll around
in and lots of space
and i don’t dream
bad dreams like i used
to have that you
were leaving me
anymore
Now that you’re gone
i don’t dream
and no matter
what you think
i’m not lonely
sleeping
all alone
– Nikki Giovanni
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