Sweet Cries
I cry for today,
Sweet cries for tomorrow.
I know deep inside,
Im still filled with sorrow.
I cry for today,
For it will be yesterday,
Tomorrow.
And I saved my sweet cries for tomorrow.
My sweet cries,
Are like sweet potato fries.
Naturally sweet, but added salt.
My sweet cries, always turn into more.
I dont want to cry anymore.
But i cry for today,
Sweet cries for tomorrow.
Because i know deep inside,
Im still filled with sorrow.
Analysis
This poem is one I feel emotional about. I think the theme is that crying is not always a bad thing. And the tone is sad. I used a simile when i said"My sweet cries,Are like sweet potato fries" but i added sensory details with my emotions in the poem. i usede repetition when i said "sweet cries" After reading over it, I really did like it.
Sweet cries for tomorrow.
I know deep inside,
Im still filled with sorrow.
I cry for today,
For it will be yesterday,
Tomorrow.
And I saved my sweet cries for tomorrow.
My sweet cries,
Are like sweet potato fries.
Naturally sweet, but added salt.
My sweet cries, always turn into more.
I dont want to cry anymore.
But i cry for today,
Sweet cries for tomorrow.
Because i know deep inside,
Im still filled with sorrow.
Analysis
This poem is one I feel emotional about. I think the theme is that crying is not always a bad thing. And the tone is sad. I used a simile when i said"My sweet cries,Are like sweet potato fries" but i added sensory details with my emotions in the poem. i usede repetition when i said "sweet cries" After reading over it, I really did like it.
Nikki Giovanni Timeline
| 1943 | Born on 7 June in Knoxville General Hospital, Knoxville, Tennessee |
| 1949-52 | Giovanni completes the first, second, and third grades at Oak Avenue School, |
| 1968 | Borrows money to publish her first volume of poetry, Black Feeling Black Talk. Drops out of University of Pennsylvania but continues working at the Settlement House. Continues writing poems at a prodigious rate. Goes to Atlanta for funeral of Martin Luther King, Jr., who was assassinated on 4 April. Receives grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Moves to New York City where she begins almost immediately to attract attention. Enrolls in an M. F. A. program at Columbia University’s School of Fine Arts. At the very end of the year, uses money made from sales of Black Feeling Black Talk and a grant from the Harlem Arts Council to privately publish her second volume of poetry, Black Judgement; Broadside Press offers to distribute it. |
| 1970 | Edits and privately publishes Night Comes Softly, one of the earliest anthologies of poetry by black women; it includes poems by new and relatively unknown writers as well as poems by such established poets as Margaret Walker and Mari Evans. Establishes NikTom, Ltd. Meets Ellis Haizlip (1929-91) and begins making regular appearances on his television program, Soul!, an entertainment/variety/talk show which promoted black art and culture and allowed political expression. (During the history of the show–1967-72–which aired on WNET, many important artists and leaders made appearances, including Muhammad Ali, Jesse Jackson, Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Gladys Knight, Miriam Makeba, and Stevie Wonder. Giovanni was for several years a "regular" on the show.) Giovanni publishes Black Feeling Black Talk/Black Judgement as one volume with William Morrow Publisher. Publishes Re: Creation with Broadside Press. Writes and publishes the broadside, "Poem of Angela Yvonne Davis." Has become a recognized figure on the black literary scene; in the anthology We Speak As Liberators, published in this year, she is referred to as an "established name." Ebony magazine names her Woman of the Year.
| ||||||||||||
http://nikki-giovanni.com/timeline.shtml
Resignation by Nikki Giovanni
I love you
because the Earth turns round the sun
because the North wind blows north
sometimes
because the Pope is Catholic
and most Rabbis Jewish
because winters flow into spring
and the air clears after a storm
because only my love for you
despite the charms of gravity
keeps me from falling off the Earth
into another dimension
I love you
because it is the natural order of things
I love you
like the habit I picked up in college
of sleeping through lectures
or saying I'm sorry
when I get stopped for speeding
because I drink a glass of water
in the morning
and chain-smoke cigarettes
all through the day
because I take my coffee Black
and my milk with chocolate
because you keep my feet warm
through my life a mess
I love you
because I don't want it
any other way
I am helpless
in m love for you
It makes me so happy
to hear you call my name
I am amazed you can resist
locking me in an echo chamber
where your voice reverberates
through the four walls
sending me into spasmatic ecstasy
I love you
because it's been so good
for so long
that if I didn't love you
I'd have to be born again
and that is not a theological statement
I am pitiful in my love for you
The Dells tell me Love
is so simple
the thought though of you
sends indescribably delicious multitudinous
thrills throughout and through-in my body
I love you
because no two snowflakes are alike
and it is possible if you stand tippy-toe
to walk between the raindrops
I love you
because I am afraid of the dark
and can't sleep in the light
because I rub my eyes
when I wake up in the morning
and find you there
because you with all your magic powers were
determined that
I should love you
because there was nothing for you but that
I would love you
I love you
because you made me
want to love you
more than I love my privacy
my freedom my commitments
and responsibilities
I love you `cause I changed my life
to love you
because you saw me one friday
afternoon and decided that I would
love you
I love you I love you I love you
Analyzation
Nikki Giovanny used alot of allusion in this poem. She compared the reasons she loved this person to all of the natural things in the world. like She said in the first line, "i love you because the earth turns around the sun" and she was clearly using you the same metaphor the whole poem. And the tone of the poem was mostly dreamy and romantic the whole time. she used alot of figurative language and she kept the theme of things that are natural and thing that occur everyday. When she says "... like the gravity keeps me from falling off of the earth". She painted very vivid pictures in my head because the way she wrote the poem I felt all of the emotion. I think the theme of the poem is definitly the fact that love is a natural thing. And I believe that every part of the poem is decent because it really is heart felt. I loved it.
because the Earth turns round the sun
because the North wind blows north
sometimes
because the Pope is Catholic
and most Rabbis Jewish
because winters flow into spring
and the air clears after a storm
because only my love for you
despite the charms of gravity
keeps me from falling off the Earth
into another dimension
I love you
because it is the natural order of things
I love you
like the habit I picked up in college
of sleeping through lectures
or saying I'm sorry
when I get stopped for speeding
because I drink a glass of water
in the morning
and chain-smoke cigarettes
all through the day
because I take my coffee Black
and my milk with chocolate
because you keep my feet warm
through my life a mess
I love you
because I don't want it
any other way
I am helpless
in m love for you
It makes me so happy
to hear you call my name
I am amazed you can resist
locking me in an echo chamber
where your voice reverberates
through the four walls
sending me into spasmatic ecstasy
I love you
because it's been so good
for so long
that if I didn't love you
I'd have to be born again
and that is not a theological statement
I am pitiful in my love for you
The Dells tell me Love
is so simple
the thought though of you
sends indescribably delicious multitudinous
thrills throughout and through-in my body
I love you
because no two snowflakes are alike
and it is possible if you stand tippy-toe
to walk between the raindrops
I love you
because I am afraid of the dark
and can't sleep in the light
because I rub my eyes
when I wake up in the morning
and find you there
because you with all your magic powers were
determined that
I should love you
because there was nothing for you but that
I would love you
I love you
because you made me
want to love you
more than I love my privacy
my freedom my commitments
and responsibilities
I love you `cause I changed my life
to love you
because you saw me one friday
afternoon and decided that I would
love you
I love you I love you I love you
Analyzation
Nikki Giovanny used alot of allusion in this poem. She compared the reasons she loved this person to all of the natural things in the world. like She said in the first line, "i love you because the earth turns around the sun" and she was clearly using you the same metaphor the whole poem. And the tone of the poem was mostly dreamy and romantic the whole time. she used alot of figurative language and she kept the theme of things that are natural and thing that occur everyday. When she says "... like the gravity keeps me from falling off of the earth". She painted very vivid pictures in my head because the way she wrote the poem I felt all of the emotion. I think the theme of the poem is definitly the fact that love is a natural thing. And I believe that every part of the poem is decent because it really is heart felt. I loved it.
Mothers by Nikki Giovanni
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 separated 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 tiny window panes
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 mei taught that to my son
who recited it for her
just to say we must
to bear the pleasures
as we have borne the pains
Analysis
I really like this poem. It took me awhile to understand it though. I think that the tone was casual like she was having a conversation, with a lot of emotion in it. And the theme i think is treasure the moments you have with your loved ones. She used some senosory details too. She used personfication when she said "the moon sees me" , it was clear that the moon cant see, but in the poem it felt real. This poem was great, and she was very creative with writing it.
to see my mother we kissed
exchanged pleasantries
and unpleasantries pulled a warm
comforting silence around
us and read separated 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 tiny window panes
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 mei taught that to my son
who recited it for her
just to say we must
to bear the pleasures
as we have borne the pains
Analysis
I really like this poem. It took me awhile to understand it though. I think that the tone was casual like she was having a conversation, with a lot of emotion in it. And the theme i think is treasure the moments you have with your loved ones. She used some senosory details too. She used personfication when she said "the moon sees me" , it was clear that the moon cant see, but in the poem it felt real. This poem was great, and she was very creative with writing it.
Balances by Nikki Giovanni
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
Analysis
Even though this is a really short poem, i believe that this is powerful. Her choice of words is interesting. & Tone is playful to me. And its far from serious. The theme of the poem is to treasure love & keep it balanced with everything else. She used repition repeatedlycin the poem. And comparing love with balances.
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
Analysis
Even though this is a really short poem, i believe that this is powerful. Her choice of words is interesting. & Tone is playful to me. And its far from serious. The theme of the poem is to treasure love & keep it balanced with everything else. She used repition repeatedlycin the poem. And comparing love with balances.
All Eyez On U (for 2Pac Shakur 1971-1996) By Nikki Giovanni
as I tossed and turned unable to achieve sleep unable to control anxiety unable to comprehend why
2Pac is not with us
if those who live be the sword died be the sword there would be no white men on the earth
if those who lived on hatred died on hatred there would be no KKK
if those who lived by lies died by lies there would be nobody on wall
street in executive suits in academic offices instructing the young
don't tell me he got what he deserved
he deserved a chariot and the accolades of a grateful people
he deserved his life
it is as clear as a mountain stream as defining as a lightning strike
as terrifying as sun to vampires
there were those who called it dirty
gansta rap inciting there were those who never wanted to be
angry at conditions but angry at the messenger who reported:
your kitchen has roaches your toilet is over flowing you basement has so much water the rats are in the living room your house is in disorder
and 2Pac told you about it
what a beautiful boy graceful carriage melodic voice sharp wit intellectual breadth
what a beautiful boy to loose
not me
never me
I don't believe east coast west coast
I saw them murder Emmett Till I saw them murder Malcolm X
I saw them murder
Martin Luther King
I witnessed them shooting Rap Brown I saw them beat LeRoi Jones
I saw them fill there jails I see them burning churches
not me
never me
I do not believe this is some sort of mouth action
This is some sort of political action and they picked well
they picked the brightest freshest fruit from the tallest tree
what a beautiful boy
but he will not go away
as Malcolm did not go away
as Emmett Till did not go away
your shooting him will not take him from us
his spirit will fill our hearts
his courage will strengthen us for the challenge
his truth will straighten our backbones
you know, Socrates had a mother
she too watched here son drink hemlock
she too asked why
but Socrates stood firm and would not lie to save himself
2Pac has a mother
the lovely Afeni had to bury her son
it is not right
it is not right that this young warrior is cut down
it is not right for the old to bury the young
it is not right
this generation mourns 2Pac as my generation mourned Till as we all mourn Malcolm
this wonderful you warrior
Sonia Sanchez said when she learned of his passing she walked all day
walking the beautiful warrior home to our ancestors I just cried as all
mothers cry for the beautiful boy who said he and Mike Tyson would
never be allowed to be free at the same time who told the truth about
them and who told the truth about us who is our beautiful warrior
there are those who wanted to make him the problem
who wanted to believe if they silenced 2Pac all would be quiet on the ghetto
front there are those who testified that the problem wasnÕt the conditions
but the people talking about them
they took away band
so the boys started scratching they took away gym
so the boys started break dancing the boys started dancing the boys started rapping
cause they gave them the guns and the drugs but not the schools and libraries
what a beautiful boy to loose
and we mourn 2Pac Shakur and we reach out to his mother and we
hung ourselves in sadness and shame
and we are compelled to ask:
R U Happy, Mz Tucker? 2Pac is gone
R U Happy?
Analysis
I found this poem most interesting out of all the poems because it was about 2Pac. I wondered if she really was serious with the things she was saying in the poem. But as the poem went on, i felt all of the emotion coming through as her words got stronger and stronger. I think that the theme of the poem is to treasure life. And honor what the deceased has done. She used sensory details by saying that 2Pac was a beautiful boy to lose. And the repetition created this image of an amazing person, which she was saying. The tone was memorable, to me. She wanted to acknowledge the great things he has done & he did a great job.
2Pac is not with us
if those who live be the sword died be the sword there would be no white men on the earth
if those who lived on hatred died on hatred there would be no KKK
if those who lived by lies died by lies there would be nobody on wall
street in executive suits in academic offices instructing the young
don't tell me he got what he deserved
he deserved a chariot and the accolades of a grateful people
he deserved his life
it is as clear as a mountain stream as defining as a lightning strike
as terrifying as sun to vampires
there were those who called it dirty
gansta rap inciting there were those who never wanted to be
angry at conditions but angry at the messenger who reported:
your kitchen has roaches your toilet is over flowing you basement has so much water the rats are in the living room your house is in disorder
and 2Pac told you about it
what a beautiful boy graceful carriage melodic voice sharp wit intellectual breadth
what a beautiful boy to loose
not me
never me
I don't believe east coast west coast
I saw them murder Emmett Till I saw them murder Malcolm X
I saw them murder
Martin Luther King
I witnessed them shooting Rap Brown I saw them beat LeRoi Jones
I saw them fill there jails I see them burning churches
not me
never me
I do not believe this is some sort of mouth action
This is some sort of political action and they picked well
they picked the brightest freshest fruit from the tallest tree
what a beautiful boy
but he will not go away
as Malcolm did not go away
as Emmett Till did not go away
your shooting him will not take him from us
his spirit will fill our hearts
his courage will strengthen us for the challenge
his truth will straighten our backbones
you know, Socrates had a mother
she too watched here son drink hemlock
she too asked why
but Socrates stood firm and would not lie to save himself
2Pac has a mother
the lovely Afeni had to bury her son
it is not right
it is not right that this young warrior is cut down
it is not right for the old to bury the young
it is not right
this generation mourns 2Pac as my generation mourned Till as we all mourn Malcolm
this wonderful you warrior
Sonia Sanchez said when she learned of his passing she walked all day
walking the beautiful warrior home to our ancestors I just cried as all
mothers cry for the beautiful boy who said he and Mike Tyson would
never be allowed to be free at the same time who told the truth about
them and who told the truth about us who is our beautiful warrior
there are those who wanted to make him the problem
who wanted to believe if they silenced 2Pac all would be quiet on the ghetto
front there are those who testified that the problem wasnÕt the conditions
but the people talking about them
they took away band
so the boys started scratching they took away gym
so the boys started break dancing the boys started dancing the boys started rapping
cause they gave them the guns and the drugs but not the schools and libraries
what a beautiful boy to loose
and we mourn 2Pac Shakur and we reach out to his mother and we
hung ourselves in sadness and shame
and we are compelled to ask:
R U Happy, Mz Tucker? 2Pac is gone
R U Happy?
Analysis
I found this poem most interesting out of all the poems because it was about 2Pac. I wondered if she really was serious with the things she was saying in the poem. But as the poem went on, i felt all of the emotion coming through as her words got stronger and stronger. I think that the theme of the poem is to treasure life. And honor what the deceased has done. She used sensory details by saying that 2Pac was a beautiful boy to lose. And the repetition created this image of an amazing person, which she was saying. The tone was memorable, to me. She wanted to acknowledge the great things he has done & he did a great job.
Nikki Giovanni
Nikki Giovanni was born in Knoxville , Tennessee in 1943, but raised in the Lincoln Heights in Ohio. She attended the all-black Fisk University, where she became involved in both the Writers' Workshop and the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committe. She became actively involved in the Black Arts movement. Nikki Giovanni is now a professor at Virginia Tech, where she teaches English.
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