A review by itsjunghan
The Book of Light by Lucille Clifton

inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0

I’d been searching for Lucille Clifton’s original publication of my favorite poem “won’t you celebrate with me” and was happy to find it at a rare bookseller in Washington; it was one of the few she didn’t publish with Rochester-based indie press BOA Editions. Like me, Lucille Clifton is a daughter of Western New York, even though our lives eventually took us elsewhere. The Book of Light has big range, exploring Black liberation and white supremacist politics, sexual abuse and family violence, and transformation and growth. Other favorites include “the earth is a living thing”, “dear jesse helms,”, “fury”, and a duo commemorating the MOVE headquarters bombing, “move” and “samson predicts from gaza the philadelphia fire”. Highly recommended for everyone who loves the powerful simplicity of language and its ability to provoke, complicate, and heal.