anna speaks of the childhood of mary her daughter by Lucille Clifton

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anna speaks of the childhood of mary her daughter

by Lucille Clifton

we rise up early and

we work, work is the medicine

for dreams.

that dream

i am having again;

she washed in light,

whole world bowed to its knees,

she on a hill looking up,

face all long tears.

and shall i give her up

to dreaming then?  i fight this thing.

all day we scrubbing     scrubbing.

from GOOD WOMAN by Lucille Clifton, BOA Editions 1987