poem in praise of menstruation

- Lucille Clifton

if there is a river

more beautiful than this

bright as the blood

red edge of the moon          if

there is a river

more faithful than this

returning each month

to the same delta          if there

is a river

braver than this

coming and coming in a surge

of passion, of pain          if there is

a river

more ancient than this

daughter of eve

mother of cain and of abel          if there is in

the universe such a river          if

there is some where water

more powerful than this wild

water

pray that it flows also

through animals

beautiful and faithful and ancient

and female and brave



from: The Collected Poems of Lucille Clifton. Copyright 1991.