In this Book
- Rice: Poems
- Book
- 2013
- Published by: Northwestern University Press
In Rice, her second volume of poetry, Nikky Finney explores the complexity of rice as central to the culture, economy, and mystique of the coastal South Carolina region where she was born and raised. The prized Carolina Gold rice paradoxically made South Carolina one of the most oppressive states for slaves and also created the remarkable Gullah culture on the coastal islands. The poems in Rice compose a profound and unflinching journey connecting family and the paradoxes of American history, from the tragic times when African slaves disembarked on the South Carolina coast to the triumphant day when Judge Ernest A. Finney Jr., Nikky’s father, was sworn in as South Carolina’s first African American chief justice. Images from the Finney family archive illustrate and punctuate this collection. Rice showcases Finney’s hungry intellect, her regional awareness and pride, and her sensitivity to how cultures are built and threatened.
Table of Contents
- Acknowledgments
- pp. xvii-4
- Heel–Toe
- Irons at Her Feet
- pp. 8-9
- Yellow Jaundice
- pp. 10-14
- The Goodfellows Club
- pp. 15-23
- Cotton Tea
- pp. 24-25
- Harry and Jainey
- pp. 26-30
- Understudies
- pp. 31-38
- My Centipeding Self
- pp. 39-41
- Making Foots
- pp. 42-44
- Lightkeeper
- pp. 45-46
- Black Orion
- pp. 51-53
- “God Ain’t Makin ’ No More Land”
- pp. 54-62
- Thresh
- The Afterbirth, 1931
- pp. 65-71
- Mary Mary Quite Contrary
- pp. 72-73
- The Sound of Burning Hair
- pp. 74-76
- The Devil Is Beating His Wife
- pp. 87-90
- Acquanetta of Hollywood
- pp. 94-101
- I Have Been Somewhere
- p. 102
- The Butt of the Joke
- pp. 103-108
- South Africa: When a Woman Is a Rock
- pp. 109-111
- The Ostrich
- p. 112
- Brown Country
- pp. 113-120
- He Never Had It Made
- pp. 121-126
- Winnow
- The Turtle Ball
- pp. 129-133
- Tenderheaded
- pp. 134-137
- Living On What
- pp. 138-139
- Love Marrow 3
- pp. 144-145
- Permittable Thunder
- pp. 148-156
- The Vertigo
- pp. 157-163
- The Mapmaker
- pp. 164-165
- The Savoy, 1926
- pp. 166-171
- Daguerre of Negras
- pp. 172-175
- Woman Holdin’ Up All Deeze Folks
- pp. 176-179
- Rule Number One
- pp. 180-181
- The End of It
- pp. 182-183
- A Woman with Keys
- pp. 184-185
- List of Photographs
- pp. 189-190
- Further Reading
- pp. 191-192