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62 | Eleven More American Women Poets in the 21st Century so slithered into earth and seized the serpent in the animals i became the lord of snake for adam and for eve i the only lucifer light-bringer created out of fire illuminate i could and so illuminate i did from The Book of Light daughters woman who shines at the head of my grandmother’s bed, brilliant woman, i like to think you whispered into her ear instructions. i like to think you are the oddness in us, you are the arrow that pierced our plain skin and made us fancy women; my wild witch gran, my magic mama, and even these gaudy girls. i like to think you gave us extraordinary power and to protect us, you became the name we were cautioned to forget. Lucille Clifton | 63 it is enough, you must have murmured, to remember that i was and that you are. woman, i am lucille, which stands for light, daughter of thelma, daughter of georgia, daughter of dazzling you. won’t you celebrate with me what i have shaped into a kind of life? i had no model. born in babylon both nonwhite and woman what did i see to be except myself? i made it up here on this bridge between starshine and clay, my one hand holding tight my other hand; come celebrate with me that everyday something has tried to kill me and has failed. ...

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