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Nikki Grimes
By Lee Bennett Hopkins
"Poetry is a literature of brushstrokes," says this prolific children's poet
Nikki Grimes is fast becoming one of the most prolific and versatile African American poets for children of our time. She takes risks in her work and brings readers humor, pathos and sensitive views of life as she has lived and seen it.
Her body of work is just incredible. Among her varied subjects are shoes (Shoe Magic, Orchard 2000, ISBN: 0-531-30286-5), the city (C is for City, Boyds Mills, 2002, ISBN: 1-590-78013-2), Christmas (Under the Christmas Tree, HarperCollins, 2002, ISBN: 0-688-15999-0), Easter (At Jerusalem's Gate, Eerdmans, 2005, ISBN: 0-802-85183-5) and the stages of grief and healing in her award-winning What Is Goodbye? (Hyperion, 2004, ISBN: 0-786-80778-4).
The healing power of books
Born in Harlem, NY, on October 20, l957, Nikki was sent to live in a foster home when she was six years old. Despite being given up by her parents and separated from her sister, she says, "These were the best and happiest of times. It was in a foster home when I wrote my first poem. I also found the library. Books were my survival tool. More than anything, they were healing for me."
Her professional writing debut came in l977 with the publication of Growin' (Dial, l977, ISBN: 0-606-07603-4), a novel for middle graders. A year later, Something on My Mind (Dial, 1978, ISBN: 0-803-78225-X) became her first book of poetry.
"For me," she says, "poetry is a literature of brushstrokes. The poet uses a few choice words, placed just so, to paint a picture, evoke an emotion, or capture a moment in time."
An important figure in her becoming a writer was the acclaimed novelist/ playwright, James Baldwin. He not only became her first mentor, but he also encouraged her to continue writing.
Dark Sons (Hyperion, 2005, ISBN:0-786-81888-3), her recent novel in verse, alternates between Biblical times and contemporary Brooklyn, NY, to bring readers a poignant story about father-son relationships.
Exercise your writing muscle
What advice does she offer students who want to write poetry? "Read," she says. "Read odes, haiku, sonnets, tankas, free verse, mask poems, etc. Read forms of poetry. Each form has something to teach you. Lastly, experiment. Writing is a muscle that must be exercised. If you want to be good, you will be good at it."
Having traveled widely throughout the world, Nikki Grimes now makes her home in Corona, CA. Find out more about her life and work on her website www.nikkigrimes.com
Lee Bennett Hopkins is a distinguished poet and anthologist. Recent collections include Halloween Howls: An I Can Read Book (HarperCollins, 2005).
