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seeceeread's review
You should play run-away-slave / or Mau Mau / These are more in line with your history [...] Grow a natural and practice vandalism / These are useful games β’ Poem for Black Boys (With Special Love to James)
For the first time, I decided to read my author projects in chronological order by publication date. Giovanni published this at age 25. Based on the introduction (Barbara Crosby details the author's transformation from "an Ayn Rand-reading-Goldwater-supporter" to the militant Black Power mouthpiece of this collection π) ... and the overall tone of these poems, I'm in for a wild growth arc with the Year of Nikki.
Part one, with conversational poems aimed at neighbors, lovers, and others, feels juvenile. Giovanni's attempts at lyricism and poetic technique are clumsy, heavy-handed: punny spellings are unnecessarily repeated for overdone propaganda. Missing punctuation makes for flat voice and run-ons. While there are a few shining lines, slurs stifle. Overall, the first half reads as dated and immature.
The second half, Black Judgement, is more tuned to political theory. After the assassination of MLK, "an act of war," the poet committed to "destroy America." Giovanni speaks directly to readers, imploring us towards revolutionary violence. More of her allusions (Nina Simone, The Temptations, Sam Cooke, Gil Scott-Heron ...) stand the test of time, while still leaving me feeling stippled in the sixties. When the poet breaks into personal reflection, she achieves her pinnacle: ππͺπ¬π¬πͺ-ππ°π΄π’ and ππ―π°πΉπ·πͺπππ¦, ππ¦π―π―π¦π΄π΄π¦π¦ are among her most beloved poems today.
remigves's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
moonscapist's review against another edition
4.0
My! Never have I ever read a poetess as brave as Giovanni. Reading "Reflections on April 4, 1968" made me weep. Her poetry style reminds me of E. E. Cummings' postmodern/experimental techniques, particularly the departure from poetic forms I am familiar with, but what makes this collection incomparable to my previous poetry reads is its courage and boldness, considering the political climate when it was written/published!
mrjess_bhs's review against another edition
4.0
Powerful poetry. I can see Giovanni as a young woman in the height of civil rights and black power and can feel the anger, pain, and occasional hopelessness that is behind her words. The use of homophonic, antisemitic, and racist language against Vietnamese was jarring, even if I understand it was common at that time, it still sucks to see people who have been dehumanized, then dehumanizing others. And thatβs why white supremacy must be eradicated. I also appreciated how her silliness emerged in some of the poems. Delightfully weird, like everyone I love.
i32505's review
5.0
Wow. This kinda ebbed and flowed between militant black revolutionary poems and simple and beautiful love poems. I loved it.
Update for June 19th, 2018: Ethereal, loving, violently militant all describe Nikki Giovanni's poems in this collection. I guess that's the same impression I had as the first time I read this book, but one thing that struck me this time is how enraged she is about MLK's assassination. This makes me want to ask the people around me who were alive at the time about their reactions to his death.
Update for June 19th, 2018: Ethereal, loving, violently militant all describe Nikki Giovanni's poems in this collection. I guess that's the same impression I had as the first time I read this book, but one thing that struck me this time is how enraged she is about MLK's assassination. This makes me want to ask the people around me who were alive at the time about their reactions to his death.
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