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March 23, 2007

Two Poems of Lucille Clifton

The Poem of the Week Feature

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the message of crazy horse


i would sit in the center of the world,
the Black Hills hooped around me and
dream of my dancing horse. my wife


was Black Shawl who gave me the daughter
i called They Are Afraid Of Her.
i was afraid of nothing


except Black Buffalo Woman.
my love for her i wore
instead of feathers. i did not dance


i dreamed. i am dreaming now
across the worlds. my medicine is strong.
my medicine is strong in the Black basket
of these fingers. i come again through this


Black Buffalo woman. hear me;
the hoop of the world is breaking.
fire burns in the four directions.
the dreamers are running away from the hills.
i have seen it. i am crazy horse.

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Poem in praise of menstruation


if there is a river
more beautiful than this
bright as the blood
red edge of the moon if
there is a river
more faithful than this
returning each month
to the same delta if there

is a river
braver than this
coming and coming in a surge
of passion, of pain if there is

a river
more ancient than this
daughter of eve
mother of cain and of abel if there is in

the universe such a river if
there is some where water
more powerful than this wild
water

pray that it flows also
through animals
beautiful and faithful and ancient
and female and brave

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Lucille Clifton



Posted at March 23, 2007 01:17 AM

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