16 Best Lucille Clifton Poems Everyone Should Read

Lucille Clifton was an American poet, writer, and educator from Buffalo, New York. From 1979 to 1985 she was Poet Laureate of Maryland. Clifton was a finalist twice for the Pulitzer Prize for poetry.

Famous Lucille Clifton Poems

Listen Children

listen children
keep this in the place
you have for keeping
always
keep it all ways

we have never hated black

listen
we have been ashamed
hopeless tired mad
but always
all ways
we loved us

we have always loved each other
children all ways

pass it on

Lorena

it lay in my palm soft and trembled
as a new bird and i thought about
authority and how it always insisted
on itself, how it was master
of the man, how it measured him, never
was ignored or denied, and how it promised
there would be sweetness if it was obeyed
just like the saints do, like the angels
and i opened the window and held out my
uncupped hand; i swear to god
i thought it could fly

Memory

ask me to tell how it feels
remembering your mother’s face
turned to water under the white words
of the man at the shoe store. ask me,
though she tells it better than i do,
not because of her charm
but because it never happened
she says,
no bully salesman swaggering,
no rage, no shame, none of it
ever happened.
i only remember buying you
your first grown up shoes
she smiles. ask me
how it feels.

The Times

it is hard to remain human on a day
when birds perch weeping
in the trees and the squirrel eyes
do not look away but the dog ones do
in pity.
another child has killed a child
and i catch myself relieved that they are
white and i might understand except
that i am tired of understanding.
if this
alphabet could speak its own tongue
it would be all symbol surely;
the cat would hunch across the long table
and that would mean time is catching up,
and the spindle fish would run to ground
and that would mean the end is coming
and the grains of dust would gather themselves
along the streets and spell out:

these too are your children this too is your child

Harriet

harriet
if i be you
let me not forget
to be the pistol
pointed
to be the madwoman
at the rivers edge
warning
be free or die
and isabell
if i be you
let me in my
sojourning
not forget
to ask my brothers
ain’t i a woman too
and
grandmother
if i be you
let me not forget to
work hard
trust the Gods
love my children and
wait.

Shapeshifter Poems

1

the legend is whispered
in the women’s tent
how the moon when she rises
full
follows some men into themselves
and changes them there
the season is short
but dreadful shapeshifters
they wear strange hands
they walk through the houses
at night their daughters
do not know them

2

who is there to protect her
from the hands of the father
not the windows which see and
say nothing not the moon
that awful eye not the woman
she will become with her
scarred tongue who who who the owl
laments into the evening who
will protect her this prettylittlegirl

3

if the little girl lies
still enough
shut enough
hard enough
shapeshifter may not
walk tonight
the full moon may not
find him here
the hair on him
bristling
rising
up

4

the poem at the end of the world
is the poem the little girl breathes
into her pillow the one
she cannot tell the one
there is no one to hear this poem
is a political poem is a war poem is a
universal poem but is not about
these things this poem
is about one human heart this poem
is the poem at the end of the world

Telling Our Stories

the fox came every evening to my door
asking for nothing. my fear
trapped me inside, hoping to dismiss her
but she sat till morning, waiting.

at dawn we would, each of us,
rise frm our haunches, look through the glass
then walk away.

did she gather her village around her
and sing of the hairless moon face,
the trembling snout, the ignorant eyes?

child, i tell you now it was not
the animal blood i was hiding from,
it was the poet in her, the poet and
the terrible stories she could tell

The Lost Baby Poem

the time i dropped your almost body down
down to meet the waters under the city
and run one with the sewage to the sea
what did i know about waters rushing back
what did i know about drowning
or being drowned

you would have been born in winter
in the year of the disconnected gas
and no car
we would have made the thin walk
over the genecy hill into the canada winds
to let you slip into a stranger’s hands
if you were here i could tell you
these and some other things

and if i am ever less than a mountain
for your definite brothers and sisters
let the rivers wash over my head
let the sea take me for a spiller of seas
let black men call me stranger always
for your never named sake

Sisters

me and you be sisters.
we be the same.

me and you
coming from the same place.

me and you
be greasing our legs
touching up our edges.

me and you
be scared of rats
be stepping on roaches.

me and you
come running high down purdy street one time
and mama laugh and shake her head at
me and you.

me and you
got babies
got thirty-five
got black
let our hair go back
be loving ourselves
be loving ourselves
be sisters.

only where you sing,
I poet.

Song At Midnight

…do not send me out
among strangers
Sonia Sanchez

brothers,
this big woman
carries much sweetness
in the folds of her flesh.
her hair
is white with wonderful.
she is
rounder than the moon
and far more faithful.
brothers,
who will hold her,
who will find her beautiful
if you do not?

Praise Song

to my aunt blanche
who rolled from grass to driveway
into the street one sunday morning.
i was ten. i had never seen
a human woman hurl her basketball
of a body into the traffic of the world.
Praise to the drivers who stopped in time.
Praise to the faith with which she rose
after some moments then slowly walked
sighing back to her family.
Praise to the arms which understood
little or nothing of what it meant
but welcomed her in without judgment,
accepting it all like children might,
like God.

Island Mary

after the all been done and i
one old creature carried on
another creature’s back, i wonder
could i have fought these thing?
surrounded by no son of mine save
old men calling Mother like in the tale
the astrologer tell, i wonder
could i have walk away when voices
singing in my sleep? i one old woman.
always i seem to worrying now for
another young girl asleep
in the plain evening.
what song around her ear?
what star still choosing?

The Lost Women

i need to know their names
those women i would have walked with
jauntily the way men go in groups
swinging their arms, and the ones
those sweating women whom i would have joined
after a hard game to chew the fat
what would we have called each other laughing
joking into our beer? where are my gangs,
my teams, my mislaid sisters?
all the women who could have known me,
where in the world are their names?

The Mississippi River Empties Into The Gulf

and the gulf enters the sea and so forth,
none of them emptying anything,
all of them carrying yesterday
forever on their white tipped backs,
all of them dragging forward tomorrow.
it is the great circulation
of the earth’s body, like the blood
of the gods, this river in which the past
is always flowing. every water
is the same water coming round.
everyday someone is standing on the edge
of this river, staring into time,
whispering mistakenly:
only here. only now.

It Was A Dream

in which my greater self
rose up before me
accusing me of my life
with her extra finger
whirling in a gyre of rage
at what my days had come to.
what,
i pleaded with her, could i do,
oh what could i have done?
and she twisted her wild hair
and sparked her wild eyes
and screamed as long as
i could hear her
This. This. This.

blessing the boats

(at St. Mary’s)

may the tide
that is entering even now
the lip of our understanding
carry you out
beyond the face of fear
may you kiss
the wind then turn from it
certain that it will
love your back may you
open your eyes to water
water waving forever
and may you in your innocence
sail through this to that

FAQs for “Lucille Clifton Poems”

Who is Lucille Clifton?

Lucille Clifton was an American poet, writer, and educator known for her powerful, spare, and profoundly moving poetry. Her work often explores themes of African American heritage, family, womanhood, and resilience. Clifton received numerous accolades, including the National Book Award for Poetry and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

What are some of Lucille Clifton’s most famous poems?

Some of Lucille Clifton’s most famous poems include:

• “homage to my hips”
• “won’t you celebrate with me”
• “the lost baby poem”
• “blessing the boats”
• “good times”
• “sorrow song”
• “at the cemetery, walnut grove plantation, south carolina, 1989”

What themes are commonly found in Lucille Clifton’s poetry?

Common themes in Lucille Clifton’s poetry include:

• African American identity and history
• Family and heritage
• Womanhood and feminism
• Strength and resilience
• Social justice and human rights
• Personal and collective memory
• Spirituality and connection to the divine

Why is Lucille Clifton considered an important figure in American poetry?

Lucille Clifton is considered an important figure in American poetry because of her unique voice, her ability to address complex themes with clarity and poignancy, and her contributions to African American literature. Her work resonates deeply with readers for its emotional depth, authenticity, and lyrical beauty.

How does Lucille Clifton’s background influence her poetry?

Lucille Clifton’s background as an African American woman from a working-class family in Buffalo, New York, deeply influences her poetry. Her experiences with racial discrimination, economic hardship, and the strength of her familial bonds are reflected in her work, giving it a profound sense of authenticity and emotional resonance.

What is Lucille Clifton’s writing style?

Lucille Clifton’s writing style is characterized by its simplicity, directness, and emotional power. She often uses free verse and minimal punctuation, allowing the rhythm and meaning of her words to shine through. Her poetry is known for its accessibility and profound impact.

Can Lucille Clifton’s poems be used in educational settings?

Yes, Lucille Clifton’s poems are frequently used in educational settings to explore themes of race, identity, gender, and resilience. Her work is studied in literature, African American studies, and women’s studies courses, and it provides rich material for discussions about social justice, history, and personal growth.

What makes Lucille Clifton’s poetry unique?

Lucille Clifton’s poetry is unique for its ability to convey deep emotions and complex themes with clarity and brevity. Her use of personal and collective history, combined with a strong sense of spirituality and resilience, creates a powerful and distinct voice in American poetry.

Has Lucille Clifton received any awards for her poetry?

Yes, Lucille Clifton received numerous awards for her poetry, including:

• The National Book Award for Poetry
• The Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize
• The Robert Frost Medal
• The Lannan Literary Award for Poetry
• She was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.

How does Lucille Clifton’s poetry address themes of social justice?

Lucille Clifton’s poetry addresses themes of social justice by highlighting the experiences and struggles of African Americans, particularly African American women. Her work often explores issues of racism, inequality, and resistance, calling for recognition, justice, and celebration of Black identity and resilience.

What impact has Lucille Clifton had on modern poetry?

Lucille Clifton has had a significant impact on modern poetry by challenging conventional forms and themes, and by bringing the experiences of African American women to the forefront. Her work has inspired countless poets and writers to explore personal and collective histories, and to use poetry as a tool for social change and personal empowerment.