Voices

(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.