Nikki Giovanni: Ego Tripping (there may be a reason why)

Nikki Giovanni is a world-renowned poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator. One of the most widely read American poets, she prides herself on being “a Black American, a daughter, a mother, a professor of English.”

I first heard Nikki Giovanni when I was a sophomore in college. In those days we  listened to everything on vinyl.  ‘Ego Tripping’ was the first of her poems I listen too; and to this day is still one of many favorites from that time period. I highly recommend listening to the recorded version. The words are powerful, but to hear her say them, you’ll be blown away.

Ego Tripping (there may be a reason why)

I was born in the congo
I walked to the fertile crescent and built
the sphinx
I designed a pyramid so tough that a star
that only glows every one hundred years falls
into the center giving divine perfect light
I am bad

I sat on the throne
drinking nectar with allah
I got hot and sent an ice age to europe
to cool my thirst
My oldest daughter is nefertiti
the tears from my birth pains
created the nile
I am a beautiful woman

I gazed on the forest and burned
out the sahara desert
with a packet of goat’s meat
and a change of clothes
I crossed it in two hours
I am a gazelle so swift
so swift you can’t catch me

For a birthday present when he was three
I gave my son hannibal an elephant
He gave me rome for mother’s day
My strength flows ever on

My son noah built new/ark and
I stood proudly at the helm
as we sailed on a soft summer day
I turned myself into myself and was
jesus
men intone my loving name
All praises All praises
I am the one who would save

I sowed diamonds in my back yard
My bowels deliver uranium
the filings from my fingernails are
semi-precious jewels
On a trip north
I caught a cold and blew
My nose giving oil to the arab world
I am so hip even my errors are correct
I sailed west to reach east and had to round off
the earth as I went
The hair from my head thinned and gold was laid
across three continents

I am so perfect so divine so ethereal so surreal
I cannot be comprehended except by my permission

I mean…I…can fly
like a bird in the sky…

Nikki Giovanni 

http://nikki-giovanni.com/ibio.shtml