"Song at Midnight"

by: Lucille Clifton

Reader:  Kirby Johnson

Respondent:  Trina Tiemann

Recorder:  Barbara Gaietto

Short Biography

Lucille Clifton is a very accomplished writer.  Her first complete book of poetry, Good Times, was published in 1969.  Since then Clifton has had at least six other poetry books and around twenty children's books published.  She has been nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize and received an Emmy.  Clifton has won many other awards throughout her career.  She is a very prominent voice among woman and among African Americans.  Currently, she is a Distinguished Professor of Humanities at St. Mary's College of Maryland. 

Objectives Related to Poem

Objective 5a-  Clifton feels the "proper subject matter for poetry is life."  Through her poetry she connects with people and allows them to share her experience.

Objective 6a-  As Dianna pointed out in her presentation last year, Clifton's use of the word "brothers" directs her words to her minority community.  Her distrust for "institutions" outside her community shows as she insinuates no one will love the woman if the brothers do not. 

Object 1c- Clifton stated that poems prove "you are not alone" and poems "speak for those who have not yet spoken."  She gives voice and choice to African Americans and woman in all her poetry.

Interpretation

I was lucky enough to rent a video from Sterling Municipal Library and actually hear Lucille Clifton read.  She was tickled, because earlier that day a man had asked her to read "Song at Midnight."  She had never before read it at one of her poetry readings (making me even luckier to have obtained the tape!).  She called the poem one of her "Grown Woman Poems."  She stated "I am excessive.  I am over all the accepted norms: over size, over color, over age."  She also stated that it just doesn't make sense to her because we live in a society where "men like big cars and big houses and then tiny little women.  It just don't make sense."  After hearing her say all that and then hearing her read the poem, I see it more of a celebration of the woman.  At first, I thought it was a plea (for lack of a better word) for acceptance from the brothers.  But in seeing Clifton and her aurora, (she is a real loveable, proud woman) I sensed that this is not any type of plea.  She never says anything negative about the woman; this shows her acceptance.  She maybe trying to get the attention of her brothers; maybe even ridiculing them for not recognizing how truly wonderful the woman is.

Questions and Discussion

1.)   Clifton is referring to Sonia Sanchez's  "Poem at Thirty."  The line from that poem reads:  "I wrapped my bones in lint and refused to move, no one touches me any more, father do not send me out among strangers."  As a child, Clifton was abused by her father.  Does knowing all this affect or change your interpretation of the poem?   

 Dr. White points out that the word "father" is missing from the class copy.  So, the class does not go with an interpretation of abuse.  Diane points out that she is possibly referring to the fact that she doesn't want to marry out of her race.   Geraldine believes Clifton feels "over the hill" and unattractive, as most women tend to do when getting older.  Laura explains that the lines "her hair is white with wonderful" are Clifton's good attributes.  She is equating the word "white" with "good."  Kirby, after having seen Clifton read the poem on video, feels that the poem is a celebration of women. Clifton is a very positive and powerful person.  Dr. White agrees, stating that Clifton is very charismatic.  He goes on to say that by her hair becoming white, it hasn't lost anything, but instead gained wonderfulness. 

2.)   Clifton states that she has "always felt the presence of the other…it was a natural thing to do."  She also claims to be spiritual rather than religious.  Can you feel that tone in the poem?    I feel the lines "she is rounder than the moon and far more faithful" have spiritual connotations.  The moon brings to mind the Moon Goddess (Artemis or Cynthia in Greek legend), which sets an otherworldly, compassionate tone. 

The class did not seem to go with this interpretation, either.  Dr. White asks if it really qualifies as a poem, noting that poem is so short it seems as if she's just getting warmed up.  Jerry points out that the poem ends with a rhetorical question.  Dr. White adds that this tends to happen in African American poetry; by using the rhetorical question, the poems leave you hanging.  He goes on to make reference to "Ka Ba" (pg 155-156).  Dr. White feels this type of conclusion requires something of the reader.  

Sources

Dianna Ruiz from Fall 2001 class

Lannan Literary Videos:  Lucille Clifton

                                           Lucille Clifton vl.II

http://www.math.buffalo.edu/~sww/clifton/clifton-biobib.html

   http://www.umich.edu/~eng499/women/writers.html

   http://www.moonxscape.com/MoonGoddess.shtml

http://www.umich.edu/~eng499/women/writers.html

 http://www.umich.edu/~eng499/women/writers.html