ANALYZE THE MODEL

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You will read:▶▶ A BIOGRAPHY

Nikki Giovanni: The Poet and Her Craft

▶▶ A POEM“Kidnap Poem”

You will analyze:▶▶ A STUDENT MODEL

Nikki Giovanni’s Unusual Style

How do authors use their own style to express common themes?

Unit 3: Literary Analysis 69

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1. Analyze 2. Practice 3. Perform

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The contemporary poet Nikki Giovanni was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, on June 7, 1943. She grew up in Lincoln Heights, Ohio, and attended Fisk University, later studying at the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University. A noted African American poet and activist committed to the fight for civil rights and equality, Giovanni began writing in the turbulent period of the late 1960s. She credits both her poetry and her appreciation of her African American heritage to her grandmother, who was a gifted storyteller.

Giovanni’s first books of poetry, published in 1968, grew out of her reaction to the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Medgar Evers. After the birth of her son, Giovanni’s work shifted to themes of family. In the 1970s, she began to write for both children and adults. Her children’s books include Ego-Tripping and Other Poems for Young People (1973) and Vacation Time (1980). She wrote her noted memoir Gemini in 1971.

Giovanni’s early experience with the power of the spoken word had a deep influence on her style. Her poetry is informal, but rich with bright images. This informal style makes her accessible to children as well as adults. Giovanni is also notable for the unusual line breaks in her poetry. As readers pause at these line breaks, they experience everyday words and phrases in a fresh way.

Giovanni’s keen ear for how people speak is at the core of her style. As a poet, she writes about the familiar in a way that captures the voice of real people.

Since 1987, she has been a professor of writing and literature.

She seems proud of her heritage.

This seems like a unique way of writing poetry.

I can understand that.

Source Materials for Step 1Ms. Golden assigned her class a poem by Nikki Giovanni to read and analyze. She also provided information about the poet. The notes in the side columns were written by Jocelyn, a student in Ms. Golden’s class.

Nikki Giovanni: The Poet and Her Craft

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Discuss and Decide

With a partner, review Jocelyn’s notes in the side column. What unique elements of the writer’s style does she note? Cite text evidence in your discussion.

kidnapped by a poet, huh?

But she is a poet!

no capital letter for I? no punctuation? Why?

strange word choice—but sounds like music

Ode is usually a noun, not a verb.

She broke an everyday word into two words.

Kidnap POEMby Nikki Giovanni

ever been kidnappedby a poetif i were a poeti’d kidnap youput you in my phrases and meteryou to jones beachor maybe coney islandor maybe just to my houselyric you in lilacsdash you in the rainblend into the beachto complement my see play the lyre for youode you with my love songanything to win youwrap you in the red Black greenshow you off to mamayeah if i were a poet i’d kidnap you

Unit 3: Literary Analysis 71