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(Image Description: The cover of Lucille Clifton’s volume of poetry titled “How to Carry Water: Selected Poems.” The book cover is solid black, with “Lucille Clifton” written in large capitalized letters in white at the top. The title of the book is at the bottom of the cover. “How to Carry Water” is written in a teal, all-lowercase font. Underneath it are the words “selected poems” written in white, all-capitalized letters matching the font of Lucille’s name. At the bottom of the cover are the words “edited with a forward by Araceles Girmay” written in all-capitalized, white font. In the middle of the cover is an asymmetrical teal line shaped in a vertical wave.)

how to carry water

How to Carry Water: Selected Poems of Lucille Clifton celebrates both familiar and lesser-known works by one of America’s most beloved poets, including 10 newly discovered poems that have never been collected.

 

These poems celebrating Black womanhood and resilience shimmer with intellect, insight, humor, and joy, all in Clifton’s characteristic style―a voice that the late Toni Morrison described as “seductive with the simplicity of an atom, which is to say highly complex, explosive underneath an apparent quietude.”

 

Selected and introduced by award-winning poet Aracelis Girmay, this volume of Clifton’s poetry is simultaneously timeless and fitting for today’s tumultuous moment.

Excerpts

(Image Description: a photo collage of three photos of Lucille Clifton taken in one sitting session. The middle photograph is shown in full color. It depicts a headshot of Lucille in her later years. She is wearing a black collared jacket with bold pink floral print. Lucille is wearing wire-rimmed oversize glasses and small gold hoop earrings. She gazes slightly off-center, smiling lightly with her hand folded against her cheek. Her hair is a short, white afro. The photos to the left and right of center show Lucille in the same outfit, but are in black and white. In the left photo, Lucille gazes off-camera to her right with an open-mouthed smile. In the right photograph, Lucille has her hand curled against her cheek and wears a wide grin. She is glancing to her left, eyes closed in laughter.)

"Best of the best."

Lucille Clifton’s writing some of the best there is. True to life. Simple but profound. One of my ultra favorite authors.

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