I shall remember you when
night crawls under day
dressed up in sunshine and
colorful hues I shall remember
you in every single book I
read catering to the fundamental
findings craving thought like
Langston Hughes I’ll fondly
remember civil rights field
trips dancing through cattails
in the woods wandering
between dandelion patches
and rows of daisies peeking
through cedar slats nestled
upon a garden nook I dig the
magnificent magnitude of our
telepathy designs of hope
courage and joy I will always
remember your smile opening
the window letting fresh air
inside a dull dim room something
about William Butler Yeats
Yolande Giovanni something
about me black power rings
the subtle warmth of the
voice of dignity human need
to express one’s own abilities
communicate with all walks
of life we are who we are
I thank you for giving me
encouragement my humble
beginnings I shall see you
tomorrow in paradise sunshine
In loving memory of Nikki Giovanni
It's a Langston Hughes kind of day
filled with dutiful hints of Robert frost
within the sudden humor and vague
eccentricity of Ernest hemmingway
the quiet freedom of Nikki Giovanni
with a cunning soul shaking enlightment
of Maya Angelo tinged with the noble
excitement of John keats as the clouds
move into this rapture an intriguing sheer
fondness of William butler Yeats while
the soft dem lights over the lake hits
my minds eye just so as I'm quite
taken by the sinking thoughts of
Virginia woolf beckoning my innermost
calm peeking through wooden slats
exposing the granduer of Gwendolyn Brooks
smile mastering greatness beneath broken
planks on the sunscreen porches even so
i dare change a thing about this glorious
day this Langston Hughes kind of day
N-eatness protocol cleans
I-nvisible dirt of the devil;
K-illing the pandemic plague
K-eeps one from being
I-ll.
G-et neatness protocol
I-nto the glorious victory;
O-bliterate the vicious
V-irus of morbid mystery.
A-pply the health standard,
N-icely use the alcohol;
N-ew normal now employs
I-ts neatness protocol.
By Bernard F. Asuncion
Topic: Birthday of poetess Nikki Giovanni (June 07)
at fifteen
seeing and
listening
to you in
Roanoke, VA
in that moment
I knew that's
what I wanted
to do and your
words elemental
thought-provoking
grounding, energizing,
and at times,
beautifully subtle
and Ms. Giovanni,
if I were a poet
i'd be like you
vocal, strong,
and flying on
wings of freedom
you kidnapped me
that day at Virginia
Western Community
College to take me
on a ride of rhythm
and words -- we
retrieve our blues
back and because
of you I will alwys
remember that
shoulders are for
emergencies only
and will go back
to that blues that
gospel that African
drum in heart and
spirit even while
llistening to rap
music
up up and away
to mars among
the stars and you
shine so bright so
bold every poem
a story told
N-ame
I-n
K-een
K-nowledge
I-s
G-ladly
I-mplemented
O-ffering
V-erse
A-bout
N-oble
N-ote's
I-dea
Topic: Birthday of Poetess Nikki Giovanni (June 07)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic