This is the first collection of poetry I've read by activist Nikki Giovanni. The book is actually a mix of poetry and essays on a wide variety of subjects. Some of the poems I could relate to, and others I didn't. As for the interspersed essays, they somehow felt out of place.

After I finished the book I did take a peek at some of the reviews on Goodreads. At first glance it seems this collection was not a favorite of some Giovanni fans. Perhaps this wasn't the best choice for me to start off with but I will consider reading another book of poetry by this author, someday. ( )

I have been a Nikki Giovanni fan for decades, and I was just as delighted by this collection as I expected to be. "A Short Bio of Nikki Giovanni" in particular sent me all-caps shouting onto social media immediately. I love her because she writes about the Struggle, but also about coziness and family and food and dreams. And yeah that includes anger sometimes, too, but always in a way that feels grounded.

I LOVE HER. ( )

Nikki Giovanni is a poet, activist, and professor, and I've been meaning to try one of her poetry collections for awhile. Most of the poetry is short free verse and has no punctuation at all, making the reader slow down to figure out how to read the poem and where the natural stops are. The poems are generally accessible, and address racism, love, and everyday life. It's a very personal collection of poetry and prose that includes stories of her life and poems addressed to certain people (for Toni Morrison, for Ashley Bryan). You're sure to find something to enjoy and challenge. ( )

I enjoyed this collection of poems. So much reminded me of simpler times. Recurring themes involved quilts, soup, and the culture of African-ancestored people. There are a few short prose pieces in the mix, but they are short. The overwhelming majority of the work showcases Giovanni's lovely poetic style. ( )

"What sadness it brings that we no longer sit on front porches and call to each other. What terrible sadness it is that we want the folk who purchased us to like us. We have to like ourselves. We have to love each other."

This is exactly the book that I needed today. I devoured it in one sitting. At one point I was listening to neo-soul while reading "We Write" and just started crying because there was so much validation. It gave me the itch to pick up the pen and put voice to some of my emotions again. In Make Me Rain, Nikki Giovanni is raw and honest and calls out racism and white nationalism. She unapologetically declares her love for Black culture, history and people. She reminds us of what we have overcome and gives gentle warnings of how we reclaim ourselves.

She pierced my heart with her words and transparency about her own experiences. This book of poems was the hug from my ancestors I needed today. What a blessing it is to be able to have Giovanni's words to turn to on a cloudy day like today. I will revisit this one often because I'm still deep in thought about this collection. Please read this one at least once in your lifetrime. It released in paperback earlier this week. Nikki Giovanni deserves all the flowers and then some. Thanks to @williammorrowbooks and @tlcbooktours for the gifted copy.

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