Knoxville Tennessee Nikki Giovanni By Helena Kurpaska

About the Poet  Born in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1943, but grew up in Lincoln Heights, Ohio  Received her bachelors degree from Fisk University (Nashville TN) in  She recorded poems, and in 1971 she had a best selling spoken record that year "Truth is on its way"  Influenced by a creative work shop at Fisk, taught by novelist John Oliver Killens

I always like summer Best you can eat fresh corn From daddy's garden And okra And greens And cabbage And lots of Barbeque And buttermilk And homemade ice-cream At the church picnic And listen to Gospel music Outside At the church Homecoming And go to the mountains with Your grandmother And go barefooted And be warm All the time Not only when you go to bed And sleep

Poetic Device 1  “You can eat fresh corn from daddys garden and okra and greens….” In the stanza, Nikki uses imagery about food

Poetic Device 2 “And listen to Gospel music outside……” In this part, she again uses imagery about her religious upbringing

Poetic Device 3  “....Your grandmother and go barefooted and be warm all the time….” Finally, Nikki uses imagery and how her family is comforting to her.

Theme  The theme of the poem is about Nikki remembering her childhood, and how happy it made her. In the poem, she uses imagery throughout the whole poem to help the reader picture what her background was.

Workscited  "Knoxville, Tennessee." Poetry for Students. Ed. David A. Galens. Vol. 17. Detroit: Gale, Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 29 May 2014