Nikki Said

I love Nikki Giovanni's poems.
When I was 15 I worked at an antique photography shop at Worlds of Scum Fun with this wonderfully, smart gal named Charletta. One day, during our down time, she decided to perform "Ego Tripping" for me and I was hooked. I had never heard poetry like that before.

It's earth and sole and history and love and words and twists...it's everything swirling around in my soul that I was never clever enough to express.

Yesterday I found a tiny book shop in Long Beach that had one of books of poetry for sale, 20% off. It was a sign. Scooped it up.

First poem from Bicycles:

Where Do You Enter


Where do you enter
A poem


At the same place 
I enter you
with balance
and trust
and a jazzy sense
of adventure


Painting outside
the lines
wearing clothes cut
against the bias
with spices
among the flowers


A poem unfolds like a baby bat
testing her wings
or a kitten taking
her first steps
or a good dog
moving arthritic limbs
toward the door


There is a sadness
as well as loss
in the promise
of love


We begin a poem
with longing
and end with
responsibility


And laugh
all through the storms
that are bound to come


We have umbrellas
We have boots
We have each other


If I may quote Labelle:
Voulez-vous coucher
Avec moi? Ce soir?