Nikki Giovanni
The highly prolific Giovanni became well known in the 1960's as part of the Black Arts Movement and remains one of the most important American poets. She’s also written picture books and essay collections. All of her work directly addresses the African American experience. She published her first book of poetry for children, Spin a Soft Black Song, in 1971, and 2008’s Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat. This book included a CD of poetry performances, and was a New York Times bestseller.
From her poem “Ego-tripping”
I was born in the congo
I walked to the fertile crescent and built
the sphinx
I designed a pyramid so tough that a star
that only glows every one hundred years falls
into the center giving divine perfect light
I am bad
I sat on the throne
drinking nectar with allah
I got hot and sent an ice age to europe
to cool my thirst
My oldest daughter is nefertiti
the tears from my birth pains
created the nile
I am a beautiful woman
I gazed on the forest and burned
out the sahara desert
with a packet of goat’s meat
and a change of clothes
I crossed it in two hours
I am a gazelle so swift
so swift you can’t catch me