januaryghosts's review

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dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective

5.0

elthompson97's review

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emotional reflective fast-paced

3.25

sweetbriar15's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

rhiabelleh's review against another edition

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5.0

My new favorite poet

rhiannonbh's review

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5.0

My new favorite poet

bentohbox's review

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5.0

undeniably beautiful

lizaroo71's review against another edition

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5.0

Lucille Clifton is a genius of a poet. She has poems that range from simple observations to heavy declarations on life in America.

My personal favorite is about dealing with breast cancer:

in the mirror

an only breast
leans against her chest wall
mourning she is suspended
in a sob between t and e and a and r
and the gash ghost of her sister

t and e and a and r

it is pronounced like crying
it is pronounced like
being torn away
it is pronounced like trying to re
member the shape of an unsafe life

robotswithpersonality's review against another edition

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I'll never feel comfortable gauging the quality of poetry when I know my reading comprehension of same is lacking. There were obviously strong themes of Black experience, Black trauma, talking about enslavement, genocide, racism. There were aspects of Clifton's life, being a Black woman, surviving cancer, and what I think were references to child loss and abuse. High on religious references, which are not my thing. 
It will no doubt come across as shallow given the majority of the subject matter, but my favourite poem was Light. Thesaurus entry as poem scratches my brain just right.

cassmensah5's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad

5.0

michellec13's review

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challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

4.25