Ego Trippin

by Nikki Giovanni

(Ami)

I was born in the Congo

I walked to the fertile crescent and built the Sphinx

I designed a pyramid so tough that a star

that glows every one hundred years falls into

the center giving divine perfect light

I AM BAD

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(Amayah)

I sat on the throne

drinking nectar with Allah

I got hot and sent an ice age to Europe

to cool my thirst.

My oldest daughter is Nefertiti

the tears from by birth pains created the Nile

I am a beautiful woman

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(Ami)

I gazed on a forest and burned out the

Sahara Desert

With a packet of goat’s meat

and a change of clothes-

I crossed it in two hours

I am a gazelle so swift-

so swift- you can’t catch me

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(Amayah) 

For a birthday present when he was three

I gave my son Hannibal an elephant-

He gave me Rome for Mother’s Day

My strength flows ever on

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(Ami)

My son Noah built new/ark and

I stood proudly at the helm

as we sailed on a soft summer day

I turned myself into myself-

and was Jesus!

men intone my loving name

All praises- All praises

I am one who would save

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(Amayah)

I sowed diamonds in my backyard

My bowels deliver uranium

the filings from my fingernails

are semi-precious jewels

On a trip north I caught a cold and blew my nose

giving oil to the Arab world

I am so hip- even my errors are correct

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(Ami)

I sailed east to reach west- and had to round off the

earth as I went

The hair from my head thinned and gold was laid

across three continents

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(Amayah) I am so perfect

(Ami) so divine,

(Amayah) so ethereal,

(Ami) so surreal

(Amayah) I cannot be comprehended

(Ami) except by my permission

I mean … 

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I can fly like a bird 

in the sky..