Nikki Giovani
(1943- )
Shibui is a concept in Japanese art. Shibui celebrates the intersection of elegance and simplicity. It can be found in architecture and design and even in flower arranging.
And it can certainly be found in poetry. In fact, many would say the entire world of haiku has shibui at its core.
This poem by Nikki Giovani seems to possess shibui. Most lines are just three or four words in length. The rhyme scheme and pacing pull the reader forward to a simple but elegant emotional expression.
And I Have You
Rain has drops Sun has shine Moon has beams That make you mine Rivers have banks Sands for shores Hearts have heartbeats That make me yours Needles have eyes Though pins may prick Elmer has glue To make things stick Winter has Spring Stockings feet Pepper has mint To make it sweet Teachers have lessons Soup du jour Lawyers sue bad folks Doctors cure All and all This much is true You have me And I have you
Ms. Giovani is a gifted poet. As such she was called upon to respond to a tragic incident in 2007 at her university – Virginia Tech. On April 16, 2007, 32 people died after being gunned down on the campus by Seung-Hui Cho, a student at the college who later died by suicide.
The Virginia Tech shooting began around 7:15 a.m., when Cho, a 23-year-old senior and English major at Blacksburg-based Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, shot a female freshman and a male resident assistant in a campus dormitory before fleeing the building.
At around 9:40 a.m., Cho, armed with a 9-millimeter handgun, a 22-caliber handgun and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, entered a classroom building, chained and locked several main doors and went from room to room shooting people. Approximately 10 minutes after the rampage began, he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The attack left 32 people dead, and more than a dozen wounded. In all, 27 students and five faculty members died in the massacre. Naturally, people were traumatized. The school arranged for a gathering to mark the loss and those in charge were wise enough to ask Ms. Giovani to speak. Poetry can serve many purposes, and, on that day, Ms. Giovani’s words struck a much-needed resonant chord.
So, here we have a poem of simple elegance - And I Have You. And from the same poet, a presentation which salved the wounds of a university. Not often does a poet receive a prolonged standing ovation. Have a look.
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