A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of joining a Zoom gathering, hosted by GirlTrek that featured political activist and author Angela Davis and poet/activist Nikki Giovanni, who just made her earthly transition a few days ago on December 9, 2024.

The following poem is to dedicated Ms. Davis and the late great Ms. Giovanni.

auntie nikki

auntie angela

teachin’ preachin’

our whole lives

paving the way for

us black girls

ill-fitting in our

human suits

till we learned the magic

of words the power

in our hair the strut

in our stride the mama mojo

click of our teeth that says

I am here!

the aunties

paving the way

for our voices

& the songs

those voices

sing

Rest In Peace, Goddess Nikki, Poet Eternal

And to read my favorite poem by Ms. Giovanni: https://poetrysociety.org/poems/winter-poem