Choices: Nikki Giovanni

Nikki Goiovanni //
If I can’t do
what I want to do
then my job is to not
do what I don’t want to do.
It’s not the same thing
but it’s the best I can do.

IfI can’t have
what I want… then
my job is to want what i’ve got
and be satisfied
that at least there
is something more to want.

SinceI I can’t go
where I need
to go… then I must… go
where the signs point
though always understanding
parallel movement
isn’t lateral.

When I can’t express
what I really feel
I practice feeling
what I can express
and none of it is equal I know
but that’s why mankind
alone among the animals
learns to cry.

Nikki Giovanni is a celebrated American poet, writer, and activist, widely known for her powerful voice during the Civil Rights and Black Arts movements. Her work blends personal reflection with themes of race, identity, love, and social justice, making her one of the most influential contemporary poets. Through poetry, essays, and teaching, she continues to inspire generations with her fearless expression and cultural insight.

Choices is a strikingly simple yet profound reflection on freedom and limitation.
Through minimal words, she captures the tension between what we want and what we are allowed to choose. The poem’s quiet honesty makes it deeply relatable, reminding us that life is often shaped as much by constraints as by desires. Its brevity leaves a lingering impact, inviting readers to reflect on their own boundaries and possibilities.

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