EVOKER Analysis of "Poem (For Nina)" by Nikki Giovanni

EVOKERA Poetry Analysis Strategy

E
Read the poem and determine your experience of the poem. What do you think the poem is about?
V
Identify at least 3 key vocabulary words in the poem. Words you think stand out as important to the poem’s overall meaning.
O
Oral reading. Read the poem out loud again.
K
Identify 3 key lines in the poem.
Ex. Line 1, Line 3 and Line 4.
E
Evaluate the three lines according to your interpretation of what the author intends for the reader to understand.
Example:
In line 3, the author conveys the message that...
In line 7, the author is saying...
In line 9, the author says “...” to suggest that....
R
Re-read the poem and determine the author’s overall purpose for writing the poem.

R
Re-read the poem and determine the author’s overall purpose for writing the poem.
Poem (for Nina)
we are all imprisoned in the castle of our skins
and some of us have said so be it
if i am in jail my castle shall become
my rendezvous
my courtyard will bloom with hyacinths and jack-in-the-pulpits
my moat will not restrict me but will be filled
with dolphins sitting on lily pads and sea horses ridden by starfish
goldfish will make love
to Black mollies and color my world Black Gold
the vines entwining my windows will grow butterflies
and yellow jackets will buzz me to sleep
the dwarfs imprisoned will not become my clowns
for me to scorn but my dolls for me to praise and fuss
with and give tea parties to
my gnomes will spin cloth of spider web silkness
my wounded chocolate soldiers will sit in evening coolness
or stand gloriously at attention during that midnight sun
for I would have no need of day patrol
if I am imprisoned in my skin let it be a dark world
with deep bass walking a witch doctor to me for spiritual
consultation
let my world be defined by my skin and the skin of my people
for we spirit to spirit will embrace
this world