Introduction

More appropriate for teens, this is absolutely one of the most beautiful poems I have ever read. With the sounds of African drums or instrumental jazz in the background, recite this poem. 

Ego-tripping

(there may be a reason why)

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 only glows every one hundred years falls

Into the center giving divine perfect light

I AM BAD

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 my birth pains

Created the nile

I AM A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN

I gazed on the 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

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

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 the one who would save

I sowed diamonds in my back yard

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

I sailed west to reach east and had to round off

The earth as I went

The hair from my head thinned and gold was

Laid across three continents

I am so perfect so divine so ethereal so surreal

I cannot be comprehended

Except by my permission

I mean......I can fly

Like a bird in the sky

Extension

The poem is meant to be read out loud placing special emphasis on it's confident and sassy verse.   Divide children into groups and give each group a stanza. Have them perform dramatic interpretations of their parts.  It is always interesting to see how the entire poem comes together.