Homage to My HipsThese hips are big hips.
they need space to
move around in.
they don't fit into little
pretty places. these hips
are free hips.
they don't like to be held back.
these hips have never been enslaved.
they go where they want to go
they do what they want to do.
these hips are mighty hips.
these hips are magi hips.
I have known them
to put a spell on a man and
spin him like a top!
Lucille Clifton was born in 1936 and died a little over a year ago. She wrote poems on various parts of female anatomy that had not been the subject of poetry before and rarely has been since. Dieting is a frequent topic on an internet site's forum called Over Fifty and Proud. We are a group glad to be over fifty - but very often admitting we are not pleased with our bodies, both the appearance and the aging of it's various parts. Clifton is a breath of clean, crisp air in the midst of our angst inspired by the slim, firm body fashion model siren song of the media. So why do I keep buying and eating fat free yogurt which I don't even like very much?
3 comments:
June -- very good post. I just finished sending off the poem to a few of my old friends. The body changes as one ages (at least for many of us). Society tells women that we must conform to the established weight -- but Lucille didn't. Wonderful!
I also went to your sidebar and clicked on your Storm blog. They had a great photo of the Nebraska tornado -- not great for those in the tornado. Saved this blog to my reader.
Will check out the Fifty and Proud blog.
Thanks for all the info and poem. And by the way -- you sure get up early by the time registered on your post! barbara
The time setting on Blogspot for my blog is WRONG. I have not idea how to change it and don't even want to bother to find out.
Yes, Barbara, those storm photos are very amazing. The great plains can truly define "Weather".
there was a radio station in maryland, back in the late 60s, early 70s. they often played a clip that went "live it, or live with it."
a cackling laugh followed.
that's how i feel about bodies, and the changes we watch them go through.
and, come to think of it, most of life!
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