Legacies

Today marks the end of the National Poetry Month.  Of course, we will continue to write and read poetry later too! ;)

Today's poem brings together a couple of different aspects that interest me.  African-American poetry (remember?) and my interest in old stories as in the legacies that I have inherited and are a part of me.

Here is Legacies by Nikki Giovanni:

her grandmother called her from the playground   

       “yes, ma’am”

       “i want chu to learn how to make rolls” said the old   

woman proudly

but the little girl didn’t want

to learn how because she knew

even if she couldn’t say it that

that would mean when the old one died she would be less   

dependent on her spirit so

she said

       “i don’t want to know how to make no rolls”

with her lips poked out

and the old woman wiped her hands on

her apron saying “lord

       these children”

and neither of them ever

said what they meant

and i guess nobody ever does