Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/poetry/lucille-clifton Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Lucille Clifton Poetry Sep 8, 2006 12:34 AM EDT Currently distinguished professor of humanities at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Lucille Clifton’s free verse lyrics often focus on race, gender, the importance of family and community in the face of economic oppression. Born in Depew, N.Y. in 1936 to working class parents, Clifton attended Howard University at age 16. Her books of poetry include “Blessing the Boats: New and Selected Poems 1988-2000” (BOA Editions, 2000), which won the National Book Award; “The Terrible Stories” (1995), which was nominated for the National Book Award; “The Book of Light” (1993); “Quilting: Poems 1987-1990” (1991); “Next: New Poems” (1987); “Good Woman: Poems and a Memoir 1969-1980” (1987), which was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize; “Two-Headed Woman” (1980), also a Pulitzer Prize nominee and winner of the University of Massachusetts Press Juniper Prize; “An Ordinary Woman” (1974); “Good News About the Earth” (1972); and “Good Times” (1969). She also has written “Generations: A Memoir” (1976) and 16 books for children. Her achievements also include fellowships and honorary degrees from Fisk University, George Washington University, Trinity College and other institutions; two grants from the National Endowment of the Arts; and an Emmy Award from the American Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Transcript: Lucille Clifton September’s Song, A Poem in Seven Days by Lucille Clifton thunder and lightning and our world is another place no day will ever be the same no blood untouched they know this storm in otherwheres israel ireland palestine but God has blessed America we sing and God has blessed America to learn that no one is exempt the world is one all fear is one all life all death all one 2 Wednesday 9/12/01 this is not the time i think to note the terrorist inside who threw the brick into the mosque this is not the time to note the ones who cursed Gods other name the ones who threatened they would fill the streets with arab children’s blood and this is not the time i think to ask who is allowed to be american America all of us gathered under one flag praying together safely warmed by the single love of the many tongued God 3 Thursday 9/13/01 the firemen ascend like jacob’s ladder into the mouth of history 4 Friday 9/14/01 some of us know we have never felt safe all of us americans weeping as some of us have wept before is it treason to remember what have we done to deserve such villainy nothing we reassure ourselves nothing 5 Saturday 9/15/01 i know a man who perished for his faith. others called him infidel, chased him down and beat him like a dog. after he died the world was filled with miracles. people forgot he was a jew and loved him. who can know what is intended? who can understand the gods? 6 Sunday Morning 9/16/01 for bailey the st. marys river flows as if nothing has happened i watch it with my coffee afraid and sad as are we all so many ones to hate and i cursed with long memory cursed with the desire to understand have never been good at hating now this new granddaughter born into a violent world as if nothing has happened and i am consumed with love for all of it the everydayness of bravery of hate of fear of tragedy of death and birth and hope true as this river and especially with love bailey fredrica clifton goin for you 7 Monday Sundown 9/17/01 Rosh Hashanah i bear witness to no thing more human than hate i bear witness to no thing more human than love apples and honey apples and honey what is not lost is paradise Shapeshifter Poems by Lucille Clifton 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 We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now
Currently distinguished professor of humanities at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Lucille Clifton’s free verse lyrics often focus on race, gender, the importance of family and community in the face of economic oppression. Born in Depew, N.Y. in 1936 to working class parents, Clifton attended Howard University at age 16. Her books of poetry include “Blessing the Boats: New and Selected Poems 1988-2000” (BOA Editions, 2000), which won the National Book Award; “The Terrible Stories” (1995), which was nominated for the National Book Award; “The Book of Light” (1993); “Quilting: Poems 1987-1990” (1991); “Next: New Poems” (1987); “Good Woman: Poems and a Memoir 1969-1980” (1987), which was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize; “Two-Headed Woman” (1980), also a Pulitzer Prize nominee and winner of the University of Massachusetts Press Juniper Prize; “An Ordinary Woman” (1974); “Good News About the Earth” (1972); and “Good Times” (1969). She also has written “Generations: A Memoir” (1976) and 16 books for children. Her achievements also include fellowships and honorary degrees from Fisk University, George Washington University, Trinity College and other institutions; two grants from the National Endowment of the Arts; and an Emmy Award from the American Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Transcript: Lucille Clifton September’s Song, A Poem in Seven Days by Lucille Clifton thunder and lightning and our world is another place no day will ever be the same no blood untouched they know this storm in otherwheres israel ireland palestine but God has blessed America we sing and God has blessed America to learn that no one is exempt the world is one all fear is one all life all death all one 2 Wednesday 9/12/01 this is not the time i think to note the terrorist inside who threw the brick into the mosque this is not the time to note the ones who cursed Gods other name the ones who threatened they would fill the streets with arab children’s blood and this is not the time i think to ask who is allowed to be american America all of us gathered under one flag praying together safely warmed by the single love of the many tongued God 3 Thursday 9/13/01 the firemen ascend like jacob’s ladder into the mouth of history 4 Friday 9/14/01 some of us know we have never felt safe all of us americans weeping as some of us have wept before is it treason to remember what have we done to deserve such villainy nothing we reassure ourselves nothing 5 Saturday 9/15/01 i know a man who perished for his faith. others called him infidel, chased him down and beat him like a dog. after he died the world was filled with miracles. people forgot he was a jew and loved him. who can know what is intended? who can understand the gods? 6 Sunday Morning 9/16/01 for bailey the st. marys river flows as if nothing has happened i watch it with my coffee afraid and sad as are we all so many ones to hate and i cursed with long memory cursed with the desire to understand have never been good at hating now this new granddaughter born into a violent world as if nothing has happened and i am consumed with love for all of it the everydayness of bravery of hate of fear of tragedy of death and birth and hope true as this river and especially with love bailey fredrica clifton goin for you 7 Monday Sundown 9/17/01 Rosh Hashanah i bear witness to no thing more human than hate i bear witness to no thing more human than love apples and honey apples and honey what is not lost is paradise Shapeshifter Poems by Lucille Clifton 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 We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now