Living as a Lesbian (Sapphic Classic)

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.