when i watch you wrapped up like garbage sitting, surrounded by the smell of too old potato peels or when i watch you in your old man's shoes with the little toe cut out sitting, waiting for your mind like next week's grocery i say when i watch you you wet brown bag of a woman who used to be the best looking gal in georgia used to be called the Georgia Rose i stand up through your destruction i stand up
Copyright ©1987 by Lucille Clifton. Reprinted from Good Woman: Poems and a Memoir 1969-1980 with the permission of BOA Editions, Ltd., 260 East Ave., Rochester, NY 14604.