(June 7, 1943 / Knoxville, Tennessee)

poet Nikki Giovanni
#69 on top 500 poets
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What do you think this poem is about?

Balances

in life
one is always
balancing

like we juggle our mothers
against our fathers

or one teacher
against another
(only to balance our grade average)

3 grains of salt
to one ounce truth

our sweet black essence
or the funky honkies down the street

and lately i've begun wondering
if you're trying to tell me something

we used to talk all night
and do things alone together

and i've begun

(as a reaction to a feeling)
to balance
the pleasure of loneliness
against the pain
of loving you

Submitted: Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Edited: Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Comments about this poem (Balances by Nikki Giovanni )

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  • Jasbir Chatterjee (9/13/2012 12:11:00 AM)

    you are right, Nikki...everything balances out in the end...

    18 person liked.
    		12 person did not like.
  • Ladawn Trice (3/16/2012 7:55:00 AM)

    lovely.... life is a balance... everything is a balance... even pain

    16 person liked.
    		11 person did not like.
  • Clara Odelia Ciutara (2/22/2012 1:01:00 AM)

    i love this poem. so deeply written with truth in every words penned.. great poem!

    14 person liked.
    		15 person did not like.
  • Joanne Norvell (9/4/2009 9:33:00 PM)

    Deep! I am truly feelin' these words...

    14 person liked.
    		14 person did not like.
  • Erhard Hans Josef Lang (4/27/2008 11:09:00 PM)

    This is really a wonderful poem!

    17 person liked.
    		12 person did not like.
  • Chris Mendros (3/21/2007 4:59:00 PM)

    this is insanely beautiful in its simplicity. That old classic profit/loss consideration of a relationship, quietly slipped into her environment.

    13 person liked.
    		12 person did not like.
  • Natasha Ashwe (7/25/2006 8:25:00 AM)

    Balancing, making choices, one over the other, what this life is about. The last part gave me a chill. It's so sad when the person you love chooses to become a wrong one.
    This poem is more sensible than lovely, more wise than beautiful. It's a dart that goes straight to the heart.

    16 person liked.
    		13 person did not like.
Read all 7 comments »

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