Welcome to Poetically Yours. I’m Yvonne Boose. This week’s poem is a special tribute to the poet who gave me the inspiration for the name of this segment. A few years back I sent Nikki Giovanni copies of my poetry book and to my surprise she sent me a thank you card signed Poetically, Nikki Giovanni. She died this week at the age of 81. This poem is called "Poetry Queen." I incorporated a few of her titles within the stanzas.
This Black queen taught me about “Ego Tripping”
Words sprinkled across my soul
Like dustings of gold
Reminding me to spread my essence across worlds
Reminding me it is OK to have “A Good Cry”
Letting diamond tears slip through eyes like melted ice
Liquids that pour over parched spirits
Turning “Her Dreams” into my own
This is what the “Laws of Motion” mean
I am because she was
Her stanzas are like “Bay Leaves” in my poetry recipes
Adding that subtle flavor of inspiration
Like her, I cooked with my grandmother
Like her, I loved Tupac
Like Thug Life tattooed on her arm
I pay homage to a lyrical legend
Nikki Giovanni will forever be a part of my poetic “Quilts”