The Perils of an Unexamined Life

by Robert Wilkinson

This post is inspired by an excellent take on the coming election planetary cluster by Michael Erlewine indicating America will be "looking back" despite everyone wanting to move forward. His analysis reminds me of a poem by Lucille Clifton where she speaks of the perils of "the unexamined life." Perhaps America is being forced to examine its life? What follows is one of my favorite poems by one of my favorite poets.

the light that came to lucille clifton

came in a shift of knowing
when even her fondest sureties
faded away. it was the summer
she understood that she had not understood
and was not mistress even
of her own off eye, then
the man escaped throwing away his tie and
the children grew legs and started walking and
she could see the peril of an
unexamined life.
she closed her eyes, afraid to look for her
authenticity
but the light insists on itself in the world;
a voice from the nondead past started talking,
she closed her ears and it spelled out in her hand
"you might as well answer the door, my child,
the truth is furiously knocking."

by Lucille Clifton, 1980

Here's the FB post by Michael: "ASTROLOGY OF THESE POLITICS - LOST IN THE WAKE OF THE SUN"

Comments

[Marco Menato]

THAT is an AWESOME poem ...! Thank you so much for sharing.