“Woman Poem” by Nikki Giovanni (1971)

Giovanni writes “Woman Poem” in the voice or persona of a stereotypical Black woman. It plays on the preconceived notions people have of what it means to be a woman—oppressed, destitute, and subservient to men. The speaker outlines how women never really give each other a smile but rather feel suspicious of one another and have their “whole life / [...] tied up / to unhappiness” (Lines 1-3). A reader could view this poem as the antithesis or opposite of “Poem for a Lady Whose Voice I Like.” It shows how women often are, or are thought of, at their worst, whereas “Poem for a Lady Whose Voice I Like” shows them at their best.

“Howl (for Nina Simone)” by Nikki Giovanni (2007)

This is a poem Nikki Giovanni wrote for her friend Nina Simone. She references the many struggles Simone had in her life, such as searching for a higher purpose and having the American government (J. Edgar Hoover) set against her. Yet Simone kept singing, and in this poem, Giovanni encourages her to keep singing. She then encourages others to keep listening as she sings along with “Lorraine and Langston,” meaning Lorraine Hansberry and Langston Hughes, two prominent Black authors.