(After meeting Nikki Giovanni)
I was thirty when I gave Nikki my poem.
Her graciousness in receiving it made me realize
That she is just a woman after all
Yet a strong-voiced woman who knows no pretending
to be something or someone
professor, teacher, woman-of-the-year
All things that give no voice - instead
I have learned that things I do for those who can do nothing for me
make me more like the strong-voiced women I know
who have done much for me in spite of the fact that I do very little for them
Like Nikki.
Speaking out with strength when others are silent
Beautiful strong-voiced women
Speaking truth
They know it
Speak it
Unafraid
That's why I'm going to tell you now . . .
I was thirty-five when I gave Nikki my poem.
