Identity Through Independence in Giovanni's "Woman": Nikki, Girl! Where you been????????

» gypsy7 - Nikki, Girl! Where you been????????

Whenever I decide to just ease on by to see what you guys are talking about in this community, I get a pleasant surprise-like Nikki Giovanni! She used to be my favorite of favorites! Although I used the past tense, that does not mean that I can not still smile or remember with fondness the poetry that I loved to read-all the time! In fact,after I read your article, Karen, I scrambled around in a big ollllllld straw "thing" I have,holding a few books, to see if one book that I was sure I had saved over the years was there and voila"-My House- poems by NIkki Giovanni. Do you know that the book cost only $1.95? Yep, that was a loooooooooooooooooong time ago when I purchased it;no wonder the pages are yellow and fragile, but when I checked there were two of my favorite poems still in tack-"conversation" and "My House".

Had to go online to find "Woman". So if someone else would like to read that poem,it is out there in cyberland. I thought when I read it that it reflected what used to be called the Cinderella Complex-you know always needing someone to validate; always seeking "permission" to be; ready to live someone's expectation and fearing to risk finding what you really are about. Not sure I felt it had to do with being independent as much as I thought it was about "being" which meant that one could have some interdependence,since I doubt seriously that true independence is a reality for most of us.

Further,I thought that those last lines which indicated that the man was not a man meant something else and not necessarily independence being born. But, what do I know? Yet, I thought she meant that an elevated consciousness had come and had released her from needing him to be her definition of how she thought he should be and then finally she realized that it was alllllllll (all of it ) right because she and he just needed to "be" and not be so bound by roles defined established by society which often create the divide between men,women,mothers,daughters,the various ethnic groups, and so on. Well, guess I am getting carried away here, but I have been there-trying to be what was expected by someone else-many,many times. Still have to catch my "self" because she/it is so conditioned!!

Just finished writing a short story about trying to get myself free from the expectations of an old aunt who has for years reminded me that I am not enuffffff! Hats off to anyone who is trying to break the fetters that keep you in bondage!!!!

One more thing-had the opportunity to meet,sit, and talk with Nikki Giovanni and have a picture taken with her! Years ago! And I suppose the picture(i hate to take pictures,) may be yellow with age too,but it's "all right",(smiles) You know I had forgotten that memorable event.

Thanks,Karen for giving me a new Nk experience and allowing the walk down memory lane. Thanks to you,as always,Nichel.

peace out.

gypsy7

-- posted by gypsy7