I wrote this a couple of years ago. In light of the recent tragedies in South Carolina, I am reposting it. I wonder how many times and for how many years or decades yet it will still ring true and still feel reflective of the times.
The first book of poetry I owned was “Those who ride the night winds” by Nikki Giovanni. It’s safe to say that the reason I began writing poetry was because that book was given to me. My early poems sounded an awful lot like a 12 year old German Catholic white girl from Cincinnati, Ohio trying to sound like Nikki Giovanni. It was not pretty. I think I’ve gotten a little better since then or at least I sincerely hope I have gotten a better.
When the AWP conference chose Chicago as its location for 2012 and I saw that Nikki Giovanni would be speaking it sealed the deal for me. I try to keep my “conference” and “workshop” attendance well spaced for the most part but I made an exception for this one. I’ve never heard Ms Giovanni read her work in person and there is something magical…
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