Rest In Peace
Lucille Clifton 1936-2010
sisters by Lucille Clifton
me and you be sisters.
we be the same.
me and you
coming from the same place.
me and you
be greasing our legs
touching up our edges.
me and you
be scared of rats
be stepping on roaches.
me and you
come running high down purdy street one time
and mama laugh and shake her head at
me and you.
me and you
got babies
got thirty-five
got black
let our hair go back
be loving ourselves
be loving ourselves
be sisters.
only where you sing,
I poet.
February 24th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
What was up with the password-protected post that has now disappeared?
February 24th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
Hmm? huh? What?
February 24th, 2010 at 1:45 pm
I love the use of ‘poet’ as a verb. Ouchy to my heart.
February 24th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
I like that too! I also like that they be scared of rats and be stepping on roaches! me too!
February 24th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
I liked the rats/roaches part since I’m the same. Really loved the last line too. I’ve been hanging out w/ my sister for the last week and well it’s nice – even when we fight/disagree it’s nice.
February 24th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
hmm… do you think in the poem they’re biological sisters? I imagined they were close friends…
February 24th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Does it matter whether they are sisters or friends or even both?
February 24th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
No, doesn’t matter. I was just curious. My sense was definitely friends, but pdov’s perspective lead her to biology. Maybe it’s just our own experiences coloring the poem.
February 24th, 2010 at 3:57 pm
I think my personal experience is coloring it and also this line:
me and you
come running high down purdy street one time
and mama laugh and shake her head at
me and you.
February 24th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
But then: me and you
got babies
got thirty-five
Sounds like they’re both 35…
February 24th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Twins! Separated at birth!
Really, I don’t know if it matters if they are sisters or sistas.
February 24th, 2010 at 5:28 pm
hahaah, no, again, I don’t think it matters at all. It’s the connection that’s important. I was just curious.
February 25th, 2010 at 1:00 am
I think friends, not biological, but don’t think it matters.
March 7th, 2010 at 11:45 am
I think friends. The poems truck a chord with me and I haven’t stepped on a roach in 20 years.