Lucille Clifton




defending my tongue

what i be talking about
can be said in this language
only     this tongue
be the one that understands
what i be talking about

you are you talking about
the landscape that would break me
if it could     the trees
my grandfolk swung from   the dirt
they planted in and ate

no what i be talking about
the dirt     the tree     the land
scape can only be said
in this language   the words
be hard be bumping out too much
to be contained in one thin tongue
like this language    this landscape     this life