Acolytesdeal with ordinary things, which Lund
found ‘‘refreshing,’’ and ‘‘a wonderful balance to
some of the grittier topics she revisits’’ in this
collection. Lund also suggested that Giovanni’s
readers will not be disappointed in this collec-
tion, which provides a ‘‘good reason for fans to
continue their journey with the poet.’’ When the
New York Timesasked several authors to write
about the books they were currently reading,
Haitian novelist and short story writer Edwidge
Danticat wrote that she was reading Giovanni’s
Acolytes. Danticat claimed that ‘‘the fire, elo-
quence and lyricism in these poems show why
Giovanni was able to turn tears into cheers at an
April 17 convocation following the Virginia
Tech massacre’’ in April 2007. Danticat also
referred to Giovanni as one of her favorite con-
temporary poets. Like Lund, Danticat also
found much to admire in Giovanni’s poetry.
The reviews ofAcolytes, in which Giovanni was
labeled an icon whose poetry should be cele-
brated, indicated that her poetic legacy will con-
tinue to be celebrated.
CRITICISMSheri Metzger Karmiol
Karmiol teaches literature and drama at The Uni-
versity of New Mexico, where she is a lecturer in
the University Honors Program. In this essay, she
discusses the idea of preparedness and change in
Giovanni’s poem, ‘‘Winter.’’
In ‘‘Winter,’’ the speaker’s actions mirror
those of the animals preparing to survive the
winter. The speaker gathers what she needs to
make it through the coming season of solitude.
There are quilts to air and books to gather. Her
actions mimic those of the animals, who prepare
to find a warm place to pass the cold months and
who also gather the items necessary for survival.
On the surface, Giovanni’s poem appears to be a
simple children’s poem about animals preparing
for winter, but the poem is neither simple, nor is
it a children’s poem about animals surviving in
nature. ‘‘Winter’’ is about change and about pre-
paring for change. It is about the end of one
season and the beginning of another. Winter’s
approach, however, always brings a reminder
that each season is temporary. After only a few
months, winter inevitably thaws into spring.
Thus, Giovanni’s poem is about more than the
coming of winter. The poem offers hope for the
WHAT
DO I READ
NEXT?Nikki Giovanni’sBlack JudgementandBlack
Feeling, Black Talk, both published in 1968,
are samples of her early revolutionary writing.
Nikki Giovanni’sGemini(1971) is a lengthy
autobiographical essayabout her first twenty-
five years. The philosophical discussion cen-
ters on her childhood and her response to the
civil rights movement and to racism.
Nikki Giovanni’sRacism 101(1985) is a
collection of essays in which Giovanni writes
about what it means to be an African Amer-
ican and how she feels about her experiences
with race and racism.
Nikki Giovanni’s Grand Mothers: Poems,
Reminiscences, and Short Stories About the
Keepers of Our Traditions(1996) is designed
for adolescents. Giovanni has collected a large
number of stories by and about grandmothers,
including stories from Asian and African writ-
ers and stories from the Civil War.
Giovanni’s personal website, http://nikki-
giovanni.com/index.shtml, provides audio
files of some of her poetry readings, as well as
links to other websites with additional bio-
graphical information.
Absolute Trust in the Goodness of the Earth
(2003), by Alice Walker, is an collection of
poems that celebrate nature and love and are
written as a protest against war.
The Circle of Thanks: Native American Poems
and Songs of Thanksgiving(2003) is a collec-
tion of songs and poems by Native American
poets who honor nature in their writing.
John Hollander’sPoetry for Young People:
Animal Poems(2004) is intended for ages six
through nine, but the poems included, such
as one by William Blake, are commonly
taught in high school and college.
Pamela Michael is the editor ofRiver of Words:
Young Poets and Artists on the Nature of Things
(2008), a collection of poetry written by children
and teens, who write about water and nature.
The focus of the book is environmentalism.Winter