Tags
a dream of foxes, a note passed to superman, foremother, homage to my hips, leda 1, Lucille Clifton, mulberry fields, poetry power pack, printable bookmark, shapeshifter poems, The Book of Light, the mississippi river empties into the gulf, turning, won't you celebrate with me
When I was in 10th grade, I had an extraordinary teacher who introduced me to contemporary poetry, including the work of the incomparable, self-taught Lucille Clifton. Up until this time, I had been writing short stories with some small success, but the encounter with Clifton’s work spun me like a top and sent me down the poetry path and into the creative writing program at Hollins College (now University), where I studied under the poet Adrian Blevins.
Financial issues would eventually land me back at the University of New Orleans with a math/finance scholarship (money for women in math &sci was being handed out much more readily than creative writing funds). What a 360 that was! And a story for another time. What is important to note is that I never stopped writing or got over the meteor effect of Clifton’s work.
And now that I am back at my first love, her poetry is even more of a power source, especially as I learn to trust myself with my own voice. Here’s a handful of poems (and a printable bookmark) to put towards your own “power-pack”:
won’t you celebrate with me (Sound)
the mississippi river empties into the gulf
Download the printable bookmark of Clifton (with a poem) by artist Summer Pierre
Hope this gets you charged up and writing!!!!
Bonespark~ 
