GoSetaPhire

 

Nikki Giovanni gives the Beautiful Black Men their flowers.

Beautiful Black Men is from Nikki Giovanni’s second self-published volume of poetry entitled “Black Judgement.” Which was also printed as a poster accompanied by art in 1969.

You can also listen to the spoken word rendition of the poem. On the album “Legacies: The Poetry of Nikki Giovanni.”

Beautiful Black Men 

(With compliments and apologies 

to all not mentioned by name)

i wanta say just gotta say something

bout those beautiful beautiful beautiful outasight

black men

with they afros

walking down the street

is the same ol danger

but a brand new pleasure

sitting on stoops, in bars, going to offices

running numbers, watching for their whores

preaching in churches, driving their hogs

walking their dogs, winking at me

in their fire red, lime green, burnt orange

royal blue tight tight pants that hug

what I like to hug

jerry butler, wilson pickett, the impressions

temptations, mighty mighty sly

don’t have to do anything but walk

on stage

and i scream and stamp and shout

see new breed men in breed alls

dashiki suits with shirts that match

the lining that complements the ties

that smile at the sandals

where dirty toes peek at me

and i scream and stamp and shout

for more beautiful beautiful beautiful

black men with outasight afros