Lucille Clifton has long been a favorite of mine and she died of cancer at the age of 73 on February 13th of this year.
In looking through some of her poems I came across this one and decided it was the one to include. In particular, I love the way it begins and ends. If you know Lucille Clifton I hope you have some time to give thanks her poetry and read about her life. If she is new to you I envy the discovery ahead of you!
questions and answers
what must it be like
to stand so firm, so sure?
in the desert even the saguro
hold on as long as they can
twisting their arms in
protest or celebration.
you are like me,
understanding the surprise
of jesus, his rough feet
planted on the water
the water lapping
his toes and holding them.
you are like me, like him
perhaps, certain only that
the surest failure
is the unattempted walk.
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