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chamomiledaydreams's review
3.0
This is my first exposure to Lucille Clifton's poetry, although I've heard her name mentioned before. I don't consider poetry to be my strong suit; I enjoy seeing how poets utilize language in such a short space, but I often worry that the meanings of poems go over my head. This was especially true of the third section in this book, which contains many references to the Bible. The only poem that I felt on even footing with was "brothers," which I enjoyed a lot—and even then, my sense of familiarity with the subject matter comes from the college class I took on "Paradise Lost" and other reinterpretations of the Bible's original material.
The first two sections resonated with me a bit more, though I probably couldn't explain each poem or share my personal interpretations in any depth. When I say that I enjoyed the poems, I mostly mean that they intrigued me while reading through them and that certain passages stood out to me or evoked a strong emotion when I read them out loud. (The wildest poems are the ones where I trail off while reading them out loud because the material shocks me so much.)
Overall, I was impressed by Lucille Clifton's style, and I really enjoyed hearing snippets of her biography. I would be interested in learning more about her as a person and perhaps looking into another book of her writing. I can see why her work is so well-known and beloved!
The first two sections resonated with me a bit more, though I probably couldn't explain each poem or share my personal interpretations in any depth. When I say that I enjoyed the poems, I mostly mean that they intrigued me while reading through them and that certain passages stood out to me or evoked a strong emotion when I read them out loud. (The wildest poems are the ones where I trail off while reading them out loud because the material shocks me so much.)
Overall, I was impressed by Lucille Clifton's style, and I really enjoyed hearing snippets of her biography. I would be interested in learning more about her as a person and perhaps looking into another book of her writing. I can see why her work is so well-known and beloved!
taylorthiel's review
5.0
One thing about being in an MFA: you are constantly being made aware how poorly read you are. So, got myself a classic copy from an OG poet. And of course it’s lovely. And makes me want to write about myths.
imiji's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
i always go back to lucille clifton to understand how truly the concise is never just the simple, and the question is never just the statement of a set of conditions. part two "lightning bolt" was just absolutely stupefying.
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