Admonitions Poem by Lucille Clifton

Admonitions

Rating: 3.4


boys
i don't promise you nothing
but this
what you pawn
i will redeem
what you steal
i will conceal
my private silence to
your public guilt
is all i got

girls
first time a white man
opens his fly
like a good thing
we'll just laugh
laugh real loud my
black women

children
when they ask you
why is your mama so funny
say
she is a poet
she don't have no sense

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Richard Hexem 29 March 2010

I like this. good write.

4 0 Reply
Colleen Courtney 15 May 2014

Love this quirky and humorous poem! Well done!

3 0 Reply
Dutendra Chamling 28 October 2015

...boys i don't promise you nothing but this what you pawn i will redeem what you steal i will conceal my private silence to your public guilt is all i got... What a wonderful.

2 0 Reply
Geoffrey Fafard 02 December 2017

Don't you just love the last few lines...I do!

2 0 Reply
Edward Kofi Louis 02 December 2017

She is a poet! Thanks for sharing.

2 0 Reply
Ravi Kopra 02 December 2017

Boys, be straight turn off the TV don't sit giggling foolishly listen to your big mama go do your homework or i will whip your black ass and you will plead and cry - mama, please, no mama...

0 0 Reply
Anil Kumar Panda 02 December 2017

With a nice style the poet has put his point hard. Humorous.Thanks for sharing.

1 0 Reply
Kumarmani Mahakul 02 December 2017

Beautiful poem with humor huntingly depicted. Thanks and congratulations for POD.

1 0 Reply
Rajnish Manga 02 December 2017

Nicely put forth. A sensible way to correct a wrong perception. Thanks, Lucille.

2 0 Reply
Deepak Kumar Pattanayak 02 December 2017

I feel it was so thoughtful and humor of her to give children this admonition........very well crafted.......thanks for sharing

2 0 Reply
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Lucille Clifton

Lucille Clifton

Baltimore, Maryland
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