Giovanni puts VT tragedy in perspective

[groovedaddy]

Thursday - April 19, 2007 - Courier Journal
Betty Winston Bayé
Poet Giovanni puts Virginia Tech slaughter into the larger context

Nikki Giovanni is secure in the pantheon of revolutionary poets and writers, and she continues to speak truth to power.

She's a distinguished English professor at Virginia Tech, and on Tuesday she delivered closing remarks at the convocation that honored the 32 students and faculty who were killed Monday and the 15 or so others who were wounded by a deranged 23-year-old who killed himself.

"We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly," Giovanni said. "We are brave enough to bend to cry and sad enough to know that we must laugh again…. We will continue to invent the future, through our blood and tears through all this sadness."

It was vintage Giovanni, who said, "We will prevail."

More: http://tinyurl.com/ypgper