7 Nikki Giovanni Poems That Will Lift Your Spirits

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.

 

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

_____________________________________

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

_____________________________________

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

_____________________________________

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

_____________________________________

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

_____________________________________

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

_____________________________________

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

_____________________________________

SEE ALSO:

Legendary Poet, Author And Activist Nikki Giovanni Dies At 81

‘I’m Not That Christian’: Nikki Giovanni Sounds Off About Kyle Rittenhouse

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