Lucille Clifton (1936–2010,) original name Thelma Lucille Sayles, was an American poet whose frequently autobiographical works explored family life, racism, and gender.
Born in Depew, New York, Clifton attended Howard University 1953–55 and graduated from Fredonia State Teachers College in 1955. She held several academic posts, most notably that of distinguished professor of humanities at St Mary’s College, Maryland. In addition, she was the state’s poet laureate 1979–85.
Clifton’s poetry collections include Good Times (1969,) Good News About the Earth (1972,) An Ordinary Woman (1974,) Next: New Poems (1987,) The Terrible Stories (1996,) Blessing the Boats: New and Selected Poems, 1988–2000 (2000,) and Mercy (2004.)
Generations: A Memoir (1976) is a prose piece celebrating her origins, and Good Woman: Poems and a Memoir, 1969–80 (1987; finalist for the 1988 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry) collects some of her previously published verse. Clifton wrote many children’s books about African-American history and heritage for young readers, including All Us Come Cross the Water (1973,) Three Wishes (1976,) and My Friend Jacob (1980.)
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Lucille Clifton
The end of a thing,
is never the end,
something is always being born like
a year of a baby.
—Lucille Clifton
Topics: Beginnings
People wish to be poets more than they wish to write poetry, and that’s a mistake. One should wish to celebrate more than one wishes to be celebrated.
—Lucille Clifton
Topics: Wishes
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