With a powerful introduction by Ross Gay and a moving afterword by Sidney Clifton this special anniversary edition of The Book of Light offers new meditations and insights on one of the most beloved voices of the 20th centuryThough The Book of Lightamp160opens with thirtynine names for light we soon learn the most meaningful name is Lucilledaughter mother proud Black woman Known for her ability to convey multitudes in few words Clifton writes into the shadowsamp8212her fathers violations a Black neighborhood bombed death lossamp8212all while illuminating the full spectrum of human emotion grief and celebration anger and joy empowerment and so much graceamp160A meeting place of myth and the Divine The Book of Light exists quotbetween starshine and clayquot as Cliftonamp8217s personas allow us to bear the worldamp8217s weight with Atlas and witness conversations between Lucifer and God While names and dates mark this text as a social commentary responding to her time it is haunting how easily this collection serves as a political palimpsest of today We leave these poems inspiredamp8212Clifton shows us Superman is not our hero Our hero is the Black female narrator who decides to live And what a life she creates amp8220Wonamp8217t you celebrate with meamp8221
