Make Me Rain by Nikki Giovanni

Make Me Rain: Poems & Prose by Nikki Giovanni

Overview:

One of America’s most celebrated poets challenges us with this powerful and deeply personal collection of verse that speaks to the injustices of society while illuminating the depths of her own heart.

For more than fifty years, Nikki Giovanni’s poetry has dazzled and inspired readers.

As sharp and outspoken as ever, she returns with this profound book of poetry in which she continues to call attention to injustice and racism, celebrate Black culture and Black lives, and give readers an unfiltered look into her own experiences.

Synopsis:

In Make Me Rain, she celebrates her loved ones and unapologetically declares her pride in her Black heritage, while exploring the enduring impact of the twin sins of racism and white nationalism.

Giovanni reaffirms her place as a uniquely vibrant and relevant American voice with poems such as “I Come from Athletes” and “Rainy Days”—calling out segregation and Donald Trump; as well as “Unloved (for Aunt Cleota)” and “When I Could No Longer”—her personal elegy for the relatives who saved her from an abusive home life.

Stirring, provocative, and resonant, the poems in Make Me Rain pierce the heart and nourish the soul.

High Praise for Make Me Rain:

“Black love, Black struggle and Black joy have long been at the center of Giovanni’s work. Her newest book is thick with affection for African-American people in their everyday lives.”
—New York Times

“Giovanni... celebrates in her poignant 20th collection art as redemptive of traumas past and present, illuminating the way in which ‘the blues is our encyclopedia’ . . . The most memorable moments in the collection reveal the cutting directness that made her a laureate of the Black Arts Movement.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Nikki Giovanni—one of the great poets of any generation—still has much to impart in Make Me Rain, her hybrid autobiography of poems and prose. Given the tumultuous aspects of 2020, the disruptions and the dislocations of quotidian and public life, there’s a refreshing discordance in reading Giovanni’s newest and especially personal collection... This book is indeed a love letter, a celebration, both musical and soft-spoken, that doesn’t shy away from politics or pain, but is, above all, hopeful and thankful... History matters. Storytelling matters. Who we choose to be matters. Nikki Giovanni—this collection—reminds us of why.”
—Chicago Review of Books

“The work of Nikki Giovanni has been as evolutionary as it has been revolutionary. One of the finest poets of our time. . . Her work still resonates.”
—Ebony

“Nikki Giovanni’s work has always been remarkable for energy, venturesomeness, direct honesty, and courage.”
—Gwendolyn Brooks

"Not even equipped with the apex mastery in poetry and prose could I ever express in words the blessings that Nikki Giovanni has improved and empowered the world with. As your voice and spirit are tattooed in time; our eternal gratitude will exist the same."
—Zack Poole, Bust-Down Books & bustdownbooks.com

About the Author: Nikki Giovanni

Nikki Giovanni (Yolanda Cornelia \"Nikki\" Giovanni Jr.) was an American poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator. She was born in Knoxville, Tennessee on June 7, 1943, and died on December 9, 2024, at the age of 81. A prominent figure in the Black Arts Movement, her writing explored themes of race, gender, politics, and love, and she was a celebrated public performer and educator.

She published numerous poetry collections, essays, and children's books, and was known for her powerful and emotive spoken word recordings.

Early Life and Education:

Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, she and her family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where she spent most of her childhood. 
She graduated from Fisk University in 1967 with a degree in history, where she also became involved in the Black Arts Movement.

She further pursued education at the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University, although she dropped out of both before completing her degrees.

Career and Achievements:

Giovanni was a vocal activist for civil rights and equality, organizing the Cincinnati Black Arts Festival in 1967.

Her poetry collections, such as Black Feeling, Black Talk and Black Judgment, explored the experiences of Black people and gained her recognition as a leading voice in the Black Arts Movement.

She held teaching positions at Queens College, Rutgers University, and Virginia Tech.

Beyond her poetry, she wrote several works of nonfiction and children's literature, including the award-winning Rosa, about Rosa Parks.

Giovanni recorded several spoken word albums, including Truth, which won an award from NARTA.

She received numerous awards and accolades, including:

• The Langston Hughes Medal
• The NAACP Image Award
• The Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize

Death:

She died on December 9, 2024, in Blacksburg, Virginia, due to complications from lung cancer.

Her legacy as a poet, activist, and educator continues to inspire generations of writers and thinkers.