Rest in Peace, Lucille Clifton

Lucille Clifton, great poet, died Saturday.

Here's my favorite poem of hers:

Praise Song

to my aunt blanche
who rolled from grass to driveway
into the street one sunday morning.... See More
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.



This is another great one, about her alma mater here in Baltimore (the former Eastern High School):



This morning (for the girls of eastern high school)

This morning

i met myself

coming in



a bright

jungle girl

shining

quick as a snake

a tall

tree girl a

me girl

i met myself



this morning

coming in



and all day

i have been

a black bell

ringing

i survive

survive

survive

-Lucille Clifton