Poetry Friday: Soldier On

Earlier this week, poet Lucille Clifton died. The NY Times eulogized her as a poet who (merely?) explored “black lives,” but her work is bigger than that (I mean, seriously. Have you ever read her poem to Lorena Bobbit?) — it is about life – her life, the lives of women, the lives of women of color, the lives of those who suffer and celebrate and soldier on. In honor of all of those — all of us — I share my favorite Clifton poem – which isn’t the one about hips, which people erroneously attribute to Maya Angelou(!!) – and one for the future, both for those friends of mine who are soldiering on. You know who you are.

blessing the boats

by Lucille Clifton

(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

Won’t You Celebrate With Me

won’t you celebrate with me
what i have shaped into
a kind of life? i had no model.
born in babylon
both nonwhite and woman…
what did i see to be except myself?
i made it up
here on this bridge between
starshine and clay,
my one hand holding tight
my one hand; come celebrate
with me that everyday
something has tried to kill me
and has failed.

Watch this recited this aloud. It will give you chills.

Thank you, thank you, thank you Ms. Clifton.

Soldier on, and celebrate, good people.

Poetry Friday is being hosted by Irene Latham.