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Joy and Hope and All That: A Tribute to Lucille Clifton

summer song

After “spring song” by Lucille Clifton

 

(on thunder)

Why would you trust anything
that disturbed your little dog’s
loyal heart? Why would you trust
a sound that comes
before a bomb-blasted wall
or roof, or a door slammed
after a fight? How
do you trust a sound
that visits before a wound?

(on urchins)

I can’t remember
if they even have eyes
or a nose, or if every spike
is a combination of both?
They’re the ones
we’ve always been warned
to avoid and because I was
a very good girl, I did.

Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Aimee Nezhukumatathil is the author of four books of poetry, most recently Oceanic (Copper Canyon 2018) ...

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