The Luxurious Life

One of the greatest gifts I have ever received is a book from my older sister. For my birthday several years ago, she gave me "The Collected Poetry of Nikki Giovanni". A collection of her incomparable works from 1968 to 1998, this book is a must have for any poetry lover. Nikki is my favorite poet and by far the largest influence on my writing style as a poet.

Today, I want to share "Luxury" with you. This is one of my favorite poems by Nikki Giovanni. Written circa 1975, Giovanni describes her ambitious aspirations for the "good life". When you think of a luxurious life, what imagery do you see? What do you feel? Can you smell and taste your dreams? Let's look at Nikki's initial definition of luxury and the resolution she comes to at the end.

"Luxury" *all rights reserved to Nikki Giovanni, the original writer*

i suppose living
in a materialistic society
luxury
to some would be having
more than what you need

living in an electronic age seeing
the whole world by pushing a button
the nth degree might perhaps be
adequately represented by having
someone there to push
the buttons for you

i have thought if only
i could become rich and famous i would
live luxuriously in new york knowing
famous people eating
in expensive restaurants calling
long distance anytime i want

but you held me
one evening and now i know
the ultimate luxury
of your love

First, note that the entire poem is in lower case letters. This is not because I am lazy, but it is how the poem was published. Why? I believe it was a clever play by Giovanni to downplay herself. By putting "I" and even other "proper nouns" such as "New York" in lower case, she detracts the attention from herself and the infamous city and every word in the poem is equal in importance and weight. This method goes against the ideology of luxurious living in which everything revolves around who YOU are and where YOU go to associate with others.

Generally speaking, her definition of luxury is consistent with popular belief. We dream of hitting the lottery or somehow amassing a fortune (ie MORE THAN WHAT WE NEED). We picture having maids to clean our homes and being able to afford to travel and "rub elbows" with people in our newfound social group. I don't care how much you deny it, if you had millions and millions of dollars, you would want "someone there to push the buttons for you" (sometimes...okay, a lot of times!).

But, at the end, Nikki finds that her appetite for a life of luxury is satisfied when she is in the arms of the one she loves. Cliche? Sure. But this is not too far fetched. While I would still love to have a couple million dollars to test out the "more money, more problems" theory, in the end, I just want to wake up everyday and enjoy my life. I want to do what I love and be with the people I love. When I honestly think about the perfect life, I don't envision a certain salary, car, or home. Yes, I need (and like) money and I desire a nicer car and home, but I am appreciative of my current reality. My perfect life consists of having the career I want as a writer, spending time with my family and friends, evolving as a person, and giving back to others. I want to live my purpose and passion every day!

When you honestly think about what would make your life happy, what do you envision? I am sure your recipe for happiness consists of more than money and living a "luxurious life." If there is nothing else to motivate you in life, then you need to reevaluate your purpose on this Earth! Think about it.....

Love is the ultimate luxury,

-T. Amour