In Nikki-Rosa, she remembers her childhood
Not as sorrow
Not as shame
But as quiet joy
They say growing up Black is only pain
They count the cracks in the walls
But miss the laughter inside
No inside toilet in Woodlawn
Cold nights and simple rooms
Yet love filled every corner
Water in big metal tubs
Steam rising like soft prayers
Her mother’s hands gentle and warm
Meetings about Hollydale at night
Voices heavy with hope
Dreams bending but not breaking
Her father’s pain walked silently
Another dream sold away
Still the family stayed together
Birthdays bright as candles
Christmas mornings full of light
Two sisters smiling wide
They will call it poverty
They will write about struggle
They will never see the happiness
Because Nikki-Rosa is more than hardship
It is Black love
It is Black wealth
She hopes no stranger explains her
No cold pen tells her story
Without feeling her truth
All the while she was quite happy
Held by family
Carried by love
Nikki-Rosa is a memory of warmth
A song of togetherness
A truth written from the heart
Read More: https://truehymns.com/ode-on-a-grecian-urn/
“Nikki-Rosa” Summary
“Nikki-Rosa” is a meaningful poem by Nikki Giovanni about her childhood as a Black girl growing up in Woodlawn, Chicago. She explains that many people focus only on poverty and struggle, such as living without an inside toilet or her father’s pain. However, she says these details do not tell the full story.
The poet shares that what truly mattered was love, family unity, and happiness. Even though her family faced hardships, they stayed together, celebrated birthdays and Christmases, and shared deep understanding. The poem shows that Black love is Black wealth, and despite difficulties, she was quite happy.
