Living as a Lesbian: Poetry

Sinister Wisdom #91

by Cheryl Clarke

Poetry. African American Studies. LGBT Studies. 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.

Genres: Poetry, Lesbian, Queer, LGBT, Nonfiction, Queer Lit

104 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Cheryl L. Clarke is a lesbian poet, essayist, educator and a Black feminist community activist: she lives in Jersey City, New Jersey, and Hobart, New York. With her life partner, Barbara Balliet, she is co-owner of Bleinheim Hill Books, a used and rare bookstore in Hobart.

Reviews

[Melissa Fondakowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't the edition I read recently...I did read this one way back when I was first coming out in the early 90s. But more recently I read the 2014 reprint which has an afterward and notes by the author, among other extras.

There's little I can say about this book that it doesn't say for itself, much better. It's history, protest, love, loss, loneliness, lust, heartbreak and joy. It encapsulates everything it meant to be an out lesbian in the 80s and 90s. The act itself was (is!) revolutionary, particularly for Black women and women of color.

I'm so grateful to Clarke and all those trailblazers for their lives because without them I could not be here. And I will always especially cherish the deep political sensibility that Clarke and all those in that time instilled in me: "During the 1980's, the era of Living as a Lesbian, lesbians of all colors read, wrote, and acted on our faith in ourselves to develop a culture of black lesbian-feminist politics and practice."

There is no justice, without justice for everyone.

[lina lio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the rhythm of this! Some of Cheryl Clarke's poetry is like if the best parts of my own poetry were 100000x better so I loved that too. I want to read more of her stuff now.

[Marcella · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Im a queer lesbian
please dont go down on me yet
i do not prefer cunnilingus

your tongue does not have to prove its prowess
there
to me
now
or even on the first night

your mouth all over my body
then there"

Se você quer pegar esse livro para ler somente poesias sexuais e lésbicas, vai se surpreender (ou talvez se decepcionar) com a profundidade e diversidade dos temas. Recomendo que escute o podcast #58 das Mulheres que Escrevem Podcast, é muito bom ter a base dos insights da tradutora Cecília Floresta antes de começar a obra.
É um livro de 1983, mas, infelizmente, extremamente atual. Os temas de racismo, violência policial, violência contra queers... tudo poderia ter sido escrito em 2021 da mesma forma.
Livros como esse são importante de ler para reconhecer toda a caminhada que se percorreu para chegarmos até aqui e é pela luta de escritoras como Cheryl Clarke que hoje em dia podemos ser mais livres. Só posso agradecer

[Lucia Calero · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10 una pena que esta autora no sea más conocida ni existan traducciones (al español al menos) Su temática aborda los abusos policiales sufridos por las minorías en estados unidos. Habla a través de las voces que han sido asesinadas: mujeres asesinadas a manos de sus maridos, lesbianas atrapadas por la policía, drags queens siendo perseguidas, hombres y mujeres negras encarceladas, familiares asesinados por ser artistas y cantantes, etc.

Era una adelantada a su época sin duda alguna, su voz poética evoca ira y tristeza, provocado tal vez por la dura represión y el dolor contenido de las muertes y marginación social a la que se enfrentó.

Además me ha sorprendido cómo retrata los poemas eróticos, altamente explícitos y sin tapujos. Su estilo podría recordar a autoras como Cristina Peri Rossi o Gloria Fuertes.

[Tim Haslett · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I possibly say? Cheryl Clarke is a fierce stone butch woman who writes like her life depended on it. And it does. Reading this for the first time was like a cold shock of mountain air; your eyes smart, your skin is pulled taut across face, your ears are howling.
In the life? Cheryl Clarke's been living, out there, working at Rutgers for nearly thirty(?) years and writing some of the best poetry in the US.
I'd recommend this book to everyone who loves poetry, and for all the young women in the life, all the studs and femmes, this is a book from an elder who has lived the struggle for the longest.
If you can ever get the chance to hear Cheryl Clarke read, please do so. She's electrifying in person and has a sense of humor that comes from a committed, political life.
OK, that's enough outta me.

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

C'est sûrement sublime mais vraiment je suis pas du tout sensible à la poésie c'est tragique... Je mets quand même une bonne note car c'est juste de ma faute à moi et je veux pas faire baisser la note du bouquin mdr

[Kate]

“Marijuana isn’t what it used to be./ So I learn from poetry to reach for/ the brief epiphany.”

“poets are among the first witches”

“i go down on you and chew/ your clit”


favorite poems from the collection- “nothing”, “living as a lesbian at 35”, “journal entry: qualification”

[e☆]

confused as to why that Vanessa Williams poem exists but otherwise 4 stars

[R.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Provoking in every way

[ruqaiyah elamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

nothing I wouldn't do for the woman I sleep with when nobody satisfy me the way she do.

[Jaden Poindexter · Rating 4 out of 5]

lesbian poetry always slays

[Keri · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolute gay perfection <3

[Lizzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book of poetry. Absolutely captivating. The highlight for me was the poem about Kimako Baraka. As someone who doesn't read much poetry, I found myself absolutely glued to the book, not putting it down until the very end