When I die

The poem seems to be told in a different way, to the reader you begin to feel as if you are reading the speakers last will. Meaning the speakers final wishes after the speaker dies. The poem is a list of request from the the speaker. There seems to be a feeling of no regret from the speaker because of the phrases that are used and the way they are used. The fact that this is told after the speakers death makes it reasonable to understand why the speaker wrote the poem with no regrets. The speaker uses many words that relate to death such as die, maggots, evil, death. The effect from these words shows death in a negative way. In each stanza a little after the phrase "when i die" the speaker shows emphasis on her final death wish. The words she uses seem a little harsh or kind because she directs them towards the people who hurt her or loved her. Each topic based on her final wish is broken into separate stanzas, and this also shows emphasis. This poem is very interesting because it is meant to be read after death.  

Mothers

This poem is very interesting mainly because the speaker is not only telling the story of her mother, but the speaker is telling the story through a perspective of a young child. The fact that the speaker uses many first person pronouns shows that the speaker was at one point the child, however there is a repetition of the word "remember" so one can infer that the story is based on a childhood memory. The Motif that seems to be more predominant is curiosity. A child is known to be very curious about many things in life, and the fact that the poem is told as a childhood memory of the speakers mother makes it necessary for curiosity to be the main motif . The speaker seems to question many things about her mother, mainly through the things she witnesses triggers that emotion of curiosity. The speaker uses many words that relate to dark or darkness. Words such as dark, night, moonlight, black. When one thinks of these words they tend to think about something being hard to see, or unclear. The effect from this reveals that maybe everything around the child seemed dark because she could not understand what was going on with her mother, many aspects seemed to be unclear, as to the speakers connection with the mother. This becomes evident in the third stanza when the speaker says "mommy always sat in the dark i don't know how i knew that but she did" the speaker gives the reader many situations dealing with her and her mother, however judging by this poem one can infer that the speaker is missing a key element about her mother that would finally quench her thirst for answers.  

The Great Pax Whitie

This poem by Nikki Giovanni is very interesting It addresses a hidden issue that affects the readers perception. The first stanza is very important, because there is a repetition of the phrase "And the word was" as you continue to read down you notice that each phrase has a word that follows behind it, however each word seems to be more vulgar than the last. The effect from this reveals that as the speaker continues to introduce their claim, rage, anger, and hate tends to build up based off of the words that are used behind the phrase "And the word was" In this poem there is many repetitions of Irony and Duality. The way the speaker uses Irony is by using a positive aspect to create a negative one. The speaker does so through the duality of Life and death, peace and war, etc. The fact that Irony and Duality are predominant within this poem, one can infer that the speaker wanted to emphasis this to the reader. Each form of Duality and Irony are simply just examples, or support to better explain the speaker's main issue and the message that the speaker is trying to convey which was the ignorance, and shamefulness behind people within the black community.

Ego Tripping

This poem is different from the rest because it expresses a strong and confident tone. This becomes evident within the poem but also within the title of the poem "Ego Tripping" The word ego is usually associated with people who show over confidence. The effect from this reveals that the poem is revolved around self confidence within the speaker. The motif that seems to be the most predominant is the references to nature. Nature is seen as beauty, true perfection, and something that can never be truly explained. The fact that the speaker uses references to nature to express their self confidence makes it easy for the reader to infer that the speaker thinks that they are beyond comprehension, also the speaker is on a level that can not be confirmed or denied. The speaker also uses power to express their self confidence. This becomes evident in the first line of the second stanza., which says I sat on the throne. A throne is something that is mainly associated with kings to symbolizes a greater power and high authority. The idea of power also becomes evident in the fourth stanza which says "I gave my son Hannibal an elephant He gave me Rome for mothers day My strength flows ever on" The fact that the speaker says that her son gave her Rome so casually shows how powerful she is or feels because how can one so easily take over an entire nation and give it away. This connects to self confidence in which the speaker portrays throughout the poem.

Kidnap Poem

Nikki Giovanni tiles this poem "Kidnap Poem" and usually kidnap means the act of taking someone against their will. Well in this case it tends to mean capturing an audience in her words against their will. Her poems would force an idea into the audiences mind. The Motif that is more predominant is the motif of influence mainly because her words will capture the reader and make them feel how she feels, see what she sees, and judge things the way that she judges them. Another motif that was important was assurance, because the speaker was sure that she would capture the reader. The effect from this helps the reader better understand why she compares herself to a kidnapper rather then a motivational speaker, which in this case would have the same affect as she would in getting the message across to the audience. The line "If i were a poet i'd kidnap you" is repeated in the beginning of the poem and the end of the poem. The effect from this shows what Nikki Giovanni plans to do, and the information in the body of the poem explains how she in this case will kidnap the reader. 

No Reservations

The tone within this poem is different from the rest, unlike the other poems the tone in this poem is neither angry, sad, or depressed, but empty, there is a very empty and gloom like tone. Meaning it is almost as if the speaker is telling the story of the poem with no emotion. The motif that seems to be more predominant would be emptiness or nothingness. In the third stanza it states "There are no banners to wave forward no blaring trumpets not even a blues note" If you look back at the title of the poem it says "No Reservations" when one hears the word reservation one tends to think about planning something before it happens, or having something ready ahead of time. However in this case it is used to indicate how people who do good deeds receive no recognition. This becomes evident within the third stanza that is listed above. In the last stanza it says "there will be reservations only if we fail" the effect from this shows that someone is mainly recognized when they do something wrong. The fact that the speaker focused more on what people do not receive shows how unfair peoples perception of whats important really is. 

Records

This is a very interesting poem because it is told as if the speaker is telling a story based on a memory, The poem starts off with the first line that says "It's important to record" as the reader reads through the poem they begin to notice that the first line in the first stanza sums up the true idea of the poem. The word "Record" is used many times throughout the poem. When one thinks of the word record they tend to think of memory, someone trying to remember something. The predominant motif seems to be corruption mainly because in each stanza the speaker addresses the issue and supports it through the use of corruption. The speaker indicates that they realize this corruption, and based on the word "Record" one can infer that the speaker is trying to record their morals so that they will not become a victim of corruption. The effect from the title "Records" and the fact that the word "Records" is used many times in the poem indicates that the speaker not only is telling the reader what they should do, but also what they need to do to not become a victim of  this corruption.

Nikki-Rosa

This poem seems to be different then the rest because instead of expressing the issues of the world as a whole. It expresses the issues within the world of a specific person. The poem starts off with the line "childhood remembrances are always a drag" the use of the word remembrance indicates that this poem is a flashback meaning the speaker is telling a story of their past life. Throughout this poem the motif that was predominant in this poem was the motif of the struggle. The speaker always considers everything as a bad memory, because that is all her mind will allow her to see. The struggle within the family, the struggle of life itself. This becomes evident when the speaker says "your father's pain as he sells his stock and another dream goes And though you're poor it isn't poverty that concerns you" indirectly the speaker is trying to say how the fact that her parents had to work day and night just to make ends meet but it did not matter, it does not concern her because she was to young to understand. There is a repetition of the word remember, or anything related to memory, and by judging by the title and the references to a memory. One could infer that Nikki Giovanni could indirectly be writing about herself, well in this case her past world. Even though everything was seen as a distance bad memory. She still ends the poem expressing how being with family is more important.  

Poem for Black Boys

The first stanza is important because it tells the main issue; judging by the title of the poem, one can infer that the poem is directed towards little black kids. The speaker refers the "little black ones" as Indians. This is evident in lines two and three "You are the Indian you so disstainfully shoot Not the big bad sheriff on his faggotory white horse" Going back in history of the Indian or native Americans. They were the first settlers in America, and were invaded by Europeans. The effect from this shows that the Indians symbolize the little black boys because the neighborhood that they live in is theirs, they were there first, so how can someone come and invade them, tell them what to do, and how to think. Throughout the poem the speaker gives off a very sarcastic tone. Mainly because of the words that are written, and the way they are written. the effect from this indicates that maybe the speaker wanted the reader to see the ignorance within the little black boys.  This is indirectly present within the speakers sarcasm. However the speakers sarcasm is also truth, but how can ones ignorance be seen as truth. This shows that the truth that is presented is the speakers truth of the ignorance within the little black boys.  

A Historical Footnote to Consider Only When All Else Fails

In this poem written by Nikki Giovanni she seems to express many issues within the poem. This does not surprise a reader who is familiar of her work, mainly because of her style of writing. Nikki Giovanni is more of a topic based writer, meaning writing about the truth as she sees it, and expressing the issue that are in the world she lives in. The issue that is present within this poem is the views of woman and also how woman portray themselves in that day in time. In the first stanza it states that "While it is true (through only in a factual sense) that in the wake of a Her-I-can comes a shower Surely I am not The gravitating force that keeps this house full of panthers" This stanza is important because it introduces the main issue. When one thinks of the word shower, one tends to think of a lot of things coming down at once, but in this case it symbolizes; because shes a woman she is surrounded by in this case, panthers all at once. The panthers seem to symbolize men because men are seen as predators, and as a predator you seek for prey which is the woman in this case. However Nikki expresses how she does not understand why they shower over her because she is not "The gravitating force" meaning she is not doing anything to tease the panthers (men) or to attract them, so why do they surround her? Why did Nikki Giovanni choose a panther to symbolize men rather than a tiger, lion, or any other predator. Panthers are creatures known to only have black fur, and in this day and time of 1968 panthers were associated with black people, expressing black power, and strength. So one can infer that the panthers don't only symbolize men but black men specifically. Throughout the entire poem I noticed the motifs of Desire, Corruption, and Truth. I see Desire because in this poem men seem to prey over women, wanting them, and desire only pleasure which is evident in the line "He doesn't give a Good goddamn what I think (else why would he continue to masterbate in public?" I see Corruption because in this poem Nikki expresses how some women rebel by exposing themselves sexually. This becomes evident in the line "We must move on to the true issues of our time like the mini-skirt Rebellion" I also see truth, well in this case Nikki's truth, in what she feels is what people need to do, which is seen in the last stanza "So let us work for our day of Presence When Stokely is in The Black House And all will be right with Our world" The poem expresses many issues, and discusses many truths that will impact many. 

Nikki Giovanni, Further study, Yes or No?

Yolande Cornelia "Nikki" Giovanni Jr. (born June 7, 1943) is an American writer, commentator, activist, and educator.Nikki Giovanni was born in Knoxville Tennessee, to Yolande Cornelia, Sr. and Jones "Gus" Giovanni. She grew up in Lincoln Heights, a suburb of Cincinnati Ohio, and in 1960 began her studies at Fisk University in Nashville Tennessee, her grandfather's alma mater. She graduated in 1967 with honors, receiving a B.A. in history. Afterward she went on to attend the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University.

In 1969 Giovanni began teaching at Livingston College of Rutgers University, and since 1987, she has taught writing and literature at Virginia Tech, where she is a University Distinguished Professor. She has received nineteen honorary doctorates and other awards, including "Woman of the Year" awards from three different magazines as well as the key to several different cities. She is a member of the Order of Eastern Star (PHA), and an Honorary Member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. The civil rights and black power movements inspired her early poetry that was collected in Black Feeling, Black Talk (1967), Black Judgement (1968), and Re: Creation (1970). She has since written more than two dozen books, including volumes of poetry, illustrated children's books, and three collections of essays. Her writing has been heavily inspired by African-American activists and artists. Her book Love Poems (1997) was written in memory of Tupac Shakur and she has stated that she would "rather be with the thugs than the people who are complaining about them."

Many should continue a further study on Nikki Giovanni mainly because she is a great advocate. Even though her work may seem to direct more to the black community, her words can relate to anyone. Her style of writing is what pulls you deeper into the message. Many people should go into further study of her because she is not only famous for her poetry, but also her other mediums of literature, that were also award winning aspects of literature. There are many things about her that are yet to be discovered. Entering her world through her writing, viewing her thoughts in her illustrations, and feel what she feels just by listening to her voice. Nikki Giovanni is worth the further study.