Lucille Clifton: life and literary works

Lucille Clifton

How does her gender in part define her perspective and sensibility?

It is interesting to read her poems knowing she is an African-American female, and along with that legacy she has a lot to say to readers. Her emotions (sensibilities) are very up front for the reader; there is no need to dig for deeper meaning in her poems, for the most part.

In "Admonitions" she challenges "boys" by flatly saying she will get back whatever they try to take from her. "I don't promise you nothing / but this / what you pawn / I will redeem / what you steal / I will conceal," which is to say that the poet is wary of the boy, and the "private silence" that the poet will put in place when the boy is guilty of something is all she will promise. She won't turn him in or tell on him, but she will get back whatever he tries to take from her. That show the sensibility of a woman letting a man know that she is aware of his tricks and his mischief.

And if a white man tries something perverted, he will be laughed at because the poet is letting him know this woman, this black woman, won't put up with bad behavior. Don't try anything rude, the poet warns, because it won't work; I am aware of your kind!

What else defines that sensibility and what do you find distinct about it?

In "Good Times" it appears that the poet is being cryptic, or at least ironic. Why would seeing everyone drunk in the kitchen be "good times"? Because everyone is dancing in the kitchen? Because everyone is singing in the kitchen? Because "grandpaw" has arrived and because mama made fresh homemade bread? Because the rent is paid and the insurance man has gone (seeing the lights were out)?

Not likely any of those reasons in specific is why they are good times. It could be because the family is not lucky enough to have money to go out to a restaurant to celebrate the paying of the rent and grandfather's arrival. So any time when there is reason to dance and sing is a good time indeed. Her sensibility here is very down-home and practical. There will be bad times too, but when there is something to sing and dance about, the children should remember that there have been good times as well.

Clifton's use of literary devices

In "A Dream of Foxes" the poet uses personification very effectively. The fox in the door well has a "hopeful tail" (of course tails aren't hopeful but the point is the fox wants something to eat and its tail is an indicator of that desire). The fox "barks her compassion" (another use of personification) and her tail has a "pitying brush"; is the fox feeling pity for the woman who is not enjoying any romance?

In "Memory" the poet uses metaphor effectively. A mother's face isn't expected to "turn to water under the white words"; faces don't turn to water and words have no color, but this usage is very descriptive.

In "Fury" the poet uses simile to good purpose. Everyone knows that a furnace produced heat, but the poet makes it more interesting by saying that she is standing by the furnace and the "…coals glisten like rubies." To take an image as dull and boring as coals in a furnace, and turn them into rubies, is making the poem come alive with imagery. The poem goes on to use metaphor when she says that "…her eyes are animals" and each "hank of her hair is a serpent's obedient wife."