Lucille Clifton

Lucille Clifton was a widely read and respected American poet. Her work was promoted by Langston Hughes in The Poetry of the Negro. Her work often focuses on adversity and the experience of Black women in the United States. She won the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize to Clifton in 2007 and was the first author to have two books of poetry chosen as finalists for the Pulitzer Prize.

At Last We Killed The Roaches

‘At Last We Killed The Roaches’ by Lucille Clifton is a thoughtful poem about an experience in a speaker’s childhood with roaches. Read a complete summary and analysis of the poem.

good times

homage to my hips

oh antic God

The Death of Fred Clifton

This poem is about the death of Lucille Clifton’s husband, Fred James Clifton, who passed away on 11 October 1984 at the age of 49. It evokes the spirit of Fred and describes his discovery of something new.

to my last period

‘to my last period’ by Lucille Clifton is a thoughtful poem. In it, the speaker mourns for her lost youth and acknowledges further changes to come.

won’t you celebrate with me

‘won’t you celebrate with me’ by Lucille Clifton addresses racism and inherent gender inequality. The speaker has overcome every hurdle and modeled herself in her own image.