女兒這學期修了美國黑人文學課、這是她寫的作業。
對於熟識她、關懷她的朋友們：enjoy! :-)
對於不熟悉她的童年或學習模式的網友們：重點不是英文的語言能力、重點是「申論」！
這妞小時候寫國語作業、遇到「課文大意」就傻眼、一個字也寫不出來、都是媽媽說大意、她照抄。
她的詩寫得很好、卻痛恨作文、尤其是申論文、提起來就恨得牙癢癢的痛罵：為什麼一定要會寫這種無聊東西？！
這篇申論文雖然被她寫得有些抒情、但是畢竟挺完整的、情意表達非常到位。這是很大的成長與突破啊！
我尤其愛最後一句。
另一個更大的突破：這妞從小不信任體制和主流、對於所謂的 fine art 和美術科班訓練都極爲不屑和排斥。四年前為了準備報考台灣的大學美術系（幸好後來沒考上）、進了美術科系升學補習班、首次接受正規美術訓練。那時候、她的心裡其實很抗拒、百般不認同、只是為了自己的理想、向現實低頭。
當時、她的小學美術老師就深感驚訝的說：啊？她肯喔？！
主流藝術裡、她尤其不認同讓人看不懂的抽象藝術。
這學期、她修了一門課、教授要求他們創作抽象畫。這妞竟然一畫就畫出癮來、跟我說她愛上了抽象藝術！
哈利路亞！阿彌陀佛！
倒不是希望她走 fine art 創作這條路、也不是說抽象藝術就有多麼了不起、非喜歡不可、而是寬廣。
不再盲目排斥、不再憤懣、而是願意放下成見去接觸、接觸了之後能夠接受、能夠欣賞。
這是成長、也是成熟。
看到孩子逐漸成熟、越來越好、必然是天下父母最感寬慰的事了！
我好像過個幾天就忍不住說一次：孩子真的長大了！
好像總也說不夠似的、心裡一直充滿驚喜和不可置信。
我想、我大概也有創傷後壓力徵候群、一時半刻還放不下過去的回憶。
沒關係、我也會成長的！
Nikki Giovanni—The Magician of Words
Among the countless wonderful African American poets, I especially found a deep love and appreciation for Nikki Giovanni, who is known as the “ Princess of Black Poetry”. (Lewis. “Prominent Poet Launches Celebration.) Nikki Giovanni has always insisted on presenting the truth as she sees it and maintains a prominent place as a strong voice of the African American community. Nikki Giovanni has written more than two dozens of books, including volumes of poetry, illustrated children’s books, and three collections of essays. Her speech recordings have also achieved widespread recognition and honors. (Hume. “The Poetic World of Nikki Giovanni) She is not just a professor of English and great writer of literature, but more like a “Magician of words”.
Nikki Giovanni fully understands words and the characteristics, the tone, the rhythm, and the complex feelings of each word. She understands how the words affect each other when put together. Words are not only a written language to her. It is much deeper, like an element that is in her blood and soul and was born within her. Her poems are like magic shows—the white paper is her stage; and the typed black words are her tools. She makes words come alive, dancing off from the pages and turning into colors, emotions, and visions.
The readers can also be surprised by her point of view. Unlike other poets who are more direct, she hides her messages between words and invites the readers to chew on them. She is a master in the choice of words and especially the use of metaphors—she understands how words are associated with our thoughts, our memories, and our lives. Take the title of her poem “ Cotton Candy on a Rainy Day” for instance. If the cotton candy represents childhood, innocence and/or happiness, then when the cotton candy gets wet on a rainy day, it melts away quietly, along with our childhood, innocence and/or happiness. At the end of the poem she writes:
It seems no matter how
I try I become more difficult
to hold
I am not an easy woman
to want
They have asked
the psychiatrists… psychologists… politicians and social workers
What this decade will be
known for
There is no doubt… it is
loneliness (11-20)
From these lines, the readers can immediately sense a feeling of helplessness. Although she never says directly what happened to make her feel as such, readers can still understand that this poem is about growing up and no going back. Reading Nikki Giovanni’s poetry is like going on a treasure hunt—she gives her readers small hints to follow, but at the end, the readers need to find the treasures by themselves.
There is another poem by Nikki Giovanni, the “Kidnap Poem”, which is a great example of her special point of view and the unique way of putting words together.
ever been kidnapped
by a poet
if i were a poet
I’d kidnap you
put you in my phrases and meter
you to jones beach
or maybe just to my house
lyric you in lilacs
dash you in the rain
blend into the beach
to complement my see
play the lyre for you
ode you with my love song
anything to win you
wrap you in the red Black green
show you off to moma
yeah if I were a poet I’d kid
nap you (1-18)
It is surprising that she came out with the idea of “ if i were a poet, i’d kidnap you.” While the whole poem is simple, cheerful, light and sweet, the readers can still smell the strong emotion and passion because of the use of the word “kidnap” , which is negative and often associated with crime. In this poem, the playful use of the word 'kidnap' defiantly adds layers, mystery and interest to it.
Nikki Giovanni has a special subtle balance in all of her poems. Unlike the style of Amiri Baraka, which is strong, determined, extreme, and aggressive, Nikki Giovanni’s style is more like a murmur or a ditty. If I were to describe the difference between them with metaphors, I would say Amiri Baraka is the sun, and Nikki Giovanni is the moon. If negative emotions are dark and positive emotions are light, then Nikki Giovanni's works are gray—a perfect balance between the dark and the light, and a beautiful interlace of the two. She often uses a light tone and hides the dark messages behind the words, and uses a dark tone in the light themes, hence giving her poems so many layers and shades, with a far-reaching depth. Nikki Giovanni’s poetry is like fine wine—the slight hint of sweetness lasts for a long time and makes people drunk for more.
Nikki Giovanni’s poems are as beautiful as the sunset glows, as pleasing as the music flows, and as touching as our love grows. She is definitely a professor of English, the princess of Black poetry, a national treasure, a living legend, and a magician of words. It is art that she makes the words become.
Works Cited
Giovanni, Nikki. “Cotton Candy on a Rainy Day”, 1978. Mr. Africa Poetry Lounge. Web. 20 October 2009.
---. “Kidnap Poem”, Tnellen. Web. 20 October 2009.
Hume, Lindsey. “The Poetic World of Nikki Giovanni”. Echoes. Web. 19 October 2009
Lewis, Andrea. “Prominent Poet Launches Celebration”. 2008. Emorywheel. Web. 19 October 2009.
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