Nikki Giovanni is one of the greatest living figures in Black Love Poetry

Nikki Giovanni is an icon of black love poetry. Let us take a look at more of her works on the subject. Nikki-Rosa is one of her best known, with its famous line, Black love is Black wealth:

Nikki-Rosa

childhood rememberances are always a drag

if you're Black

you always remember things like living in Woodlawn

with no inside toilet

and if you become famous or something

they never talk about how happy you were to have

your mother

all to yourself and

how good the water felt when you got your bath

from one of those

big tubs that folk in chicago barbeque in

and somehow when you talk about home

it never gets across how much you

understood their feelings

as the whole family attended meetings about Hollydale

and even though you remember

your biographers never understand

your father's pain as he sells his stock

and another dream goes

And though your're poor it isn't poverty that

concerns you

and though they fought a lot

it isn't your father's drinking that makes any difference

but only that everybody is together and you

and your sister have happy birthdays and very good

Christmasses

and I really hope no white person ever has cause

to write about me

because they never understand

Black love is Black wealth and they'll

probably talk about my hard childhood

and never understand that

all the while I was quite happy

Resignation is another fine example of black love poetry from Nikki Giovanni:

Resignation

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

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

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

This example of black love poetry is as passionate and intense as any other black love poetry you will find on my page.

Black love poetry never shies away from honesty and intensity of emotion. As a sub-genre, it is obvious that this aspect is what defines its ethos, and makes it what it is; an undeniable art form that records much of what is best about the soul of black culture.

Here are two more examples of the gripping black love poetry of Nikki Giovanni:

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)

balance

the pleasure of loneliness

against the pain

of loving you

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 idon'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

Seduction, with its erotic undertones concludes the black love poetry of Nikki Giovanni. Dear reader, I hope you have found the journey enjoyable. There are more famous examples of black love poetry available below:

Seduction

one day

you gonna walk in this house

and i'm gonna have a long African

gown

you'll sit down and say "The Black..."

and i'm gonna take one arm out

then you-not noticing me at all- will say "What

about this brother..."

and i'm going to be slipping it over my head

and you'll rap on about "The revolution..."

while i rest your hand against my stomach

you'll go on-as you always do- saying

"I just can't dig..."

while i'm moving your hand up and down

and i'll be taking your dashiki off

then you'll say "What we really need..."

and taking your shorts off

then you'll notice

your state of undress

and knowing you you'll just say

"Nikki/

isn't this counterrevolutionary

Paul Dunbar

Famous Black Love Poetry 1

African 1

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