Living as a Lesbian

By Cheryl Clarke

Living as a Lesbian is Cheryl Clarke's paean to lesbian life. Filled with sounds from her childhood in Washington, DC, the riffs of jazz musicians, and bluesy incantations, Living as a Lesbian sings like a marimba, whispering " i am, i am in love with you."

Living as a Lesbian chronicles Clarke's years of literary and political activism with anger, passion, and determination. Clarke mourns the death of Kimako Baraka (" sister of famous artist brother" ), celebrates the life of Indira Gandhi, and chronicles all kinds of disasters-- natural and human-made. The world is large in Living as a Lesbian but also personal and intimate. These poems are closely observed and finely wrought, with Clarke's characteristic charm and wit shining throughout.

In 1986, Living as a Lesbian captured the vitality and volatility of the lesbian world; today, in a world both changed and unchanged, Clarke's poems continue to illuminate our lives and make new meanings for Living as a Lesbian.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 193833406X
• ISBN13: 9781938334061
• Release Date: January 2014
• Publisher: Sinister Wisdom
• Length: 152 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Poetic pyrotechnics from a radical voice

"Living As a Lesbian" is a stunning collection of poetry by Cheryl Clarke. As the title indicates, much of the book's content revolves around loving and surviving as a lesbian in the 20th century. Clarke also writes about racism and injustice, and reflects upon the people and events of her world. Much of the book has a gritty, urban flavor to it.In the poem "wearing my cap backwards," Clarke writes, "poets are among the first witches / so suffer none to live." This sets the tone for her poetic style: edgy, dangerous, and allied with the most marginalized elements of society. As she explores her subjects--lesbian sex, racially biased courtrooms, recreational drug use, road kill, and more--Clarke uses language that is alternatingly lusty, playful, profane, enraged, and/or outraged.Some of the most memorable selections from "Living As a Lesbian" include "living as a lesbian on the make," which narrates the adventure of a lesbian in a "straight" bar; "Indira," an irony-laden reflection on the life and public image of Indian leader Indira Gandhi; and "sexual preference," a humorous meditation on lesbian sexual practices. As Clarke spins her poetic webs, she ensnares many public figures: Jesse Jackson, Anita Bryant, Vanessa Williams, and more. Her vision is international, multi-cultural, and unbound by time: "i hear a marimba player chanting / her slave song in portuguese" (from "marimba"). As in her other books, Clarke finds a wealth of inspiration in African-American culture and history.In the poem entitled "living as a lesbian underground: a futuristic fantasy," Clarke writes, "Leave signs of struggle. / Leave signs of triumph." This book, along with Clarke's other volumes of poetry, contains powerful signs of both struggle and triumph on the part of a remarkable poet.