The collected poetry of Nikki Giovanni, 1968-1998

Black feeling Black talk

Black judgement

Re: Creation

My house

The women and the men

Cotton candy on a rainy day

Those who ride the night winds

Occasional poems.

Black feeling Black talk

Detroit conference of unity and art (for HRB) On hearing "the girl with the flaxen hair" You came, too Poem (for TW) Poem (for BMC no. 1) Our Detroit conference (for Don L. Lee) Poem (for Dudley Randall) Poem (for BMC no. 2) Personae poem (for Sylvia Henderson) Poem (for PCH) Poem (No name no. 1) Poem (for BMC no. 3) Black separatism A historical footnote to consider only when all else fails (for Barbara Cosby) Poem (no name no. 2) The true import of present dialogue, black vs. negro (for Peppe, who will ultimately judge our efforts) A short essay of affirmation explaining why (with apologies to the Federal Bureau of Investigation) Poem (no name no. 3) Wilmington Delaware Letter to a Bourgeois friend whom once I loved (and mabe still do if love is valid) I'm not lonely Love poem (for real) For an intellectual audience Black power (for all the beautiful black panthers east) Seduction Word poem (perhaps worth considering)

Black judgement

The dance committee (concerning Jean-Léon Destiné)

Of liberation

Poem for black boys (with special love to James)

Concerning one responsible negro with too much power

Reflections on April 4, 1968

The funeral of Martin Luther King, Jr.

A litany for Peppe

Nikki-Rosa

The great Pax Whitie

Intellectualism

Universality

Knoxville, Tennessee

Records

Adulthood (for Claudia)

From a logical point of view

Dreams

Revolutionary music

Beautiful black men (with compliments and apologies to all not mentioned by name)

Woman poem

Ugly honkies, or the election game and how to win it Cultural awareness For Saundra Balances For a poet I know For Teresa My poem Black judgements (of bullshit niggerish ways)

Re: Creation

For Tommy Two poems: from Barbados For Harold Logan (murdered by "persons unknown" cause he wanted to own a Black club on Broadway) No reservations (for Art Jones) Alone For two Jameses (Ballantine and Snow) in iron cells For Gwendolyn Brooks Autumn poems Rain Poem for Lloyd Housecleaning Poem for Aretha Revolutionary dreams Walking down park Kidnap poem The genie in the jar (for Nina Simone) All I gotta do The game of game Master charge: blues The lion in Daniel's den (for Paul Robeson, Sr.) For a lady of pleasure now retired 2nd rapp A robin's poem Alabama Poem Poem for unwed mothers (to be sung to "The old F.U. Spirit") 12 gates: to the city Ego tripping (there may be a reason why) A poem/because it came as a surprise to me Oppression Toy poem Some uses for them not stated Poem for Flora Sometimes Poem for my nephew (brother C.B. Soul) Yeah ... but ... Poem for a lady whose voice I like How do you write a poem? And sometimes I sit I want to sing Ever want to crawl

My house

Legacies

Mothers

A poem for Carol (may she always wear red ribbons)

A fishy poem

Winter poem

Conservation

Rituals

Poem for Stacia The world is not a pleasant place to be The only song I'm singing The butterfly I remember A certain peace When I nap Mixed media Just a New York poem [Untitled] The wonder woman (a new dream for Stevie Wonder) Categories Straight talk Scrapbooks When I die [Untitled] (for Margaret Danner) My tower (for Barb and Anthony) Poem (for Nina) Africa I Africa II They clapped Poem (for Anna Hedgeman and Alfreda Duster) Atrocities Nothing makes sense I laughed when I wrote it (don't you think it's funny?) On seeing black journal and watching nine negro leaders "give aid and comfort to the enemy" to quote Richard Nixon And another thing We My house

Women and the men

The women gather (for Joe Strickland) Once a lady told me Each Sunday The December of my springs The life I led Mother's habits The way I feel Communication Luxury Poem Hampton, Virginia Poetry is a trestle The laws of motion (for Harlem magic) Something to be said for silence Africa Swaziland A very simple wish Night Poetry Always there are the children

Cotton candy on a rainy day

Cotton candy on a rainy day

Introspection

Forced retirement

The New Yorkers

Crutches

Boxes

Poem

A poem off center The winter snow Age Because Their fathers Life cycles Adulthood II Habits Fascinations Gus (for my father) Choices Photography The beep beep poem A poem for Ed and Archie Women Space Poem (for EMA) The rose bush (for Gordon) Patience Make up Winter You are there A statement on conservation Turning (I need a better title) A response (to the rock group Foreigner) A poem of friendship Being and nothingness (to quote a philosopher) The moon shines down That day

Those who ride the night winds

Charting the night winds Lorraine Hansberry: an emotional view Hands: for Mother's Day This is not for John Lennon (and this is not a poem) Mirrors (for Billie Jean King) Linkage (for Phillis Wheatley) Charles White The drum (for Martin Luther King, Jr.) A poem on the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy Eagles (a poem for Lisa) Flying underground (for the children of Atlanta) Her cruising car : a portrait of two small town girls The cyclops in the ocean Harvest (for Rosa Parks) Reflections/on a golden anniversary Love: is a human condition Sky diving A journey Resignation I wrote a good omelet Three/quarters time Cancers (not necessarily a love poem) A word for me ... also I am she (for Nancy) The room with the tapestry rug Wild flowers Love thoughts You were gone A song for New-Ark

Occasional poems

Poem of Angela Yvonne Davis (October 16, 1970)

A poem for langston hughes

But since you finally asked (a poem commemorating the 10th anniversary of the slave memorial at Mount Vernon)

Stardate number 18628.190

Brother brother brother (the Isley brothers of Lincoln Heights)

Afterword: Some poems are more useful than others