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A Historical Footnote to Consider Only When All Else Fails

By Nikki Giovanni b. 1943 Nikki Giovanni

(For Barbara Crosby)

While it is true

(though only in a factual sense)

That in the wake of a

Her-I-can comes a

Shower

Surely I am not

The gravitating force

that keeps this house

full of panthers

Why, LBJ has made it

quite clear to me

He doesn’t give a

Good goddamn what I think

(else why would he continue to masterbate in public?)

Rhythm and Blues is not

The downfall of a great civilization

And I expect you to

Realize

That the Temptations

have no connection with

The CIA

We must move on to

the true issues of

Our time

like the mini-skirt

Rebellion

And perhaps take a

Closer look at

Flour power

It is for Us

to lead our people

out of the

Wein-Bars

into the streets

(for safety reasons only)

Lord knows we don’t

Want to lose the

support

of our Jewish friends

So let us work

for our day of Presence

When Stokely is in

The Black House

And all will be right with

Our World

Nikki Giovanni, “A Historical Footnote to Consider Only When All Else Fails” from Black Feeling, Black Talk, Black Judgment. Copyright © 1968, 1970 by Nikki Giovanni. Used with the permission of HarperCollins Publishers.

Source: The Collected Poetry of Nikki Giovanni (2003)

Biography

Nikki Giovanni is one of the best-known African-American poets who reached prominence during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Her unique and insightful poetry testifies to her own evolving awareness and experiences: from child to young woman, from naive college freshman to seasoned civil rights activist, from daughter to mother. Frequently anthologized, Giovanni’s poetry expresses strong racial pride and respect for family. Her . . .

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