Black Buffalo Woman
This long-awaited and much-needed volume shines new light on one of America’s most beloved, and profound, poets—Lucille Clifton.
Black Buffalo Woman is a deep, comprehensive dive into Clifton’s work through the eyes of celebrated poet and scholar, Kazim Ali.
Collecting chapters of Clifton’s early manuscripts, late drafts, and integrating her books of children’s literature, Ali’s meticulously researched volume provides a brilliant and fresh perspective on Clifton’s life and work.
Various chapters examine Clifton’s treatment of the body as a site of both joy and danger, spirituality, and an interrogation of American history, politics, and popular culture. The result of Ali’s scholarship and care highlights a dazzling array of Clifton’s poetic techniques and forms that will continue to inspire poets, readers, and Lucille Clifton fans—past, present and future—for decades to come.
Kazim Ali’s books encompass multiple genres, including the volumes of poetry, novels, cross-genre texts, and hybrid memoirs. Ali is also an accomplished translator and an editor of several anthologies and criticisms. After a career in public policy and organizing, he taught at various colleges and universities. He is currently a Professor and Chair of the Department of Literature at the University of California, San Diego.