Lucille Sayles Clifton  

“Song at Midnight”, UA 111-12  

Reader: Dede Stone

Respondent: Amy D. Reed

Biography of Poet: About Lucille Clifton

Lucille Sayles Clifton was born in Depew, New York. Her father worked for the New York steel mills; her mother was a launderer, homemaker, and a vocational poet. Although neither parent was formally educated, they provided their large family with an appreciation and an abundance of books, especially those by African Americans. At age sixteen, Lucille entered college early, matriculating as a drama major at Howard University in Washington, D.C. After transferring to Fredonia State Teachers College in 1955, Clifton worked as an actor and began to cultivate in poetry the minimalist characteristics that would become her professional signature. Clifton's prose maintains a familial and cultural tradition of storytelling. In them, Clifton further honors African American oral and oratorical traditions with her use of black vernacular. She has published several books both in poetry and in children’s prose. In 1958 she married a fellow student, Fred Clifton. Lucille Clifton served as Poet Laureate of Maryland from 1979 to 1982. Clifton is Distinguished Professor of Humanities at St. Mary’s College in Maryland and has a position at Columbia University from 1995 to 1999.

Relation to course Objective: Objective 5a – With Clifton’s use of the word brother she is identifying herself as one of the minority people and relating with them.

Objective 6 – We observe Clifton’s imagery of not just blacks but an obese black woman.

Reference to other presentation: Kirby Johnson in 2002 related the poem to objectives: 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.

Term: Metaphor – a figure of speech that associates two distinct   things.

           Imagery – a term used to refer to (1) the actual language that a writer uses to convey a visual picture and (2) the use of figures of speech, often to express abstract ideas in a vivid and innovative way.

Poems Title: ‘Song at Midnight’

Read the Poem: brothers,

                          this big woman

                          carries much sweetness

                          in the folds of her flesh.

                          her hair

                          is white with wonderful.

                          she is

                          rounder than the moon

                          and far more faithful.

                          brothers,

                          who will hold her,

                          who will find her beautiful

                          if you do not? (UA, Clifton, 111-12)

Interpretation of the poem from another: Kirby Johnson stated in 2002 She [Clifton] 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.

What I think: I think that Clifton is trying to let people know that just because someone is over sized, old, crippled or different in any way does not make them any less a part of society, a group, or nationality. You cannot say ‘I want all to be equal’ and then look at someone different from the norm and say ‘that is not part of our group’

Questions: What do you think Clifton was trying to do when she compared her woman to the moon?

I think that when Clifton refers to ‘her hair is white with wonderful’ she is referring to her being an elder. What do you think?

Do you think this poem can be used to communicate acceptance to any ethnic group?

Sources: http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/a_f/clifton/about.htm  

Ross Murfin, Supryia M. Ray. The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms. Boston, MA; New York: Bedford and St.Martin’s, 2003.

http://coursesite.uhcl.edu/hsh/whitec/litr/4332/models/2002/prsns/p02cliftsong.htm