at the cemetery, walnut grove plantation, south carolina, 1989

at the cemetery, walnut grove plantation, south carolina, 1989
Lucille Clifton
among the rocks
at walnut grove
your silence drumming
in my bones,
tell me your names.

nobody mentioned slaves
and yet the curious tools
shine with your fingerprints.
nobody mentioned slaves
but somebody did this work
who had no guide, no stone,
who moulders under rock.

tell me your names,
tell me your bashful names
and i will testify.

the inventory lists ten slaves
but only men were recognized.

among the rocks
at walnut grove
some of these honored dead
were dark some of these dark
were slaves
some of these slaves
were women
some of them did this
honored work.
tell me your names
foremothers, brothers,
tell me your dishonored names.
here lies
here lies
here lies
here lies
hear

I believe I am in love with Clifton.
The theme of this poem is recognition, remembrance, or maybe white man’s regret?

I love the develop that Clifton keeps in her poems. Like she’s taking us through a journey. First by telling us the setting, then the events that happened there, then the conflict (there were no names to thank for those labored rocks.) She tells in her italics of her discovery and its limitations. And after the blank reality sets in that the names are lost, she only has the “silence” that drums into her bones, and the best she can do is “hear”.

I think remembrance is the main theme, and I think it is something important.

Love to “hear” what you think.