Editors' Note |
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xxvii | |
Foreword: Lucille Clifton |
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xxviii | |
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Early Uncollected Poems (1965-1969) |
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3 | (1) |
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4 | (1) |
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5 | (1) |
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6 | (1) |
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from Dark Nursery Rhymes for a Dark Daughter |
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7 | (2) |
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9 | (1) |
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Only Too High Is High Enough |
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10 | (1) |
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11 | (1) |
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Conversation Overheard in a Graveyard |
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12 | (1) |
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13 | (1) |
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My Friend Mary Stone From Oxford Mississippi |
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14 | (1) |
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Spring Thought For Thelma |
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15 | (1) |
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16 | (1) |
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17 | (1) |
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18 | (1) |
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19 | (1) |
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20 | (1) |
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21 | (1) |
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22 | (1) |
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23 | (1) |
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24 | (1) |
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the last Seminole is black |
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25 | (1) |
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a poem written for many moynihans |
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26 | (1) |
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27 | (1) |
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quotations from aunt margaret brown |
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28 | (1) |
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29 | (1) |
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30 | (1) |
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31 | (4) |
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35 | (1) |
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my mama moved among the days |
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36 | (1) |
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my daddy's fingers move among the couplers |
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37 | (1) |
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38 | (1) |
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39 | (1) |
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40 | (1) |
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41 | (1) |
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running across to the lot |
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42 | (1) |
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43 | (1) |
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44 | (1) |
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45 | (1) |
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46 | (1) |
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47 | (1) |
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those boys that ran together |
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48 | (1) |
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49 | (1) |
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50 | (1) |
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the meeting after the savior gone |
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51 | (1) |
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52 | (1) |
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53 | (1) |
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if he ask you was i laughing |
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54 | (1) |
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if something should happen |
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55 | (1) |
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56 | (1) |
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57 | (1) |
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58 | (1) |
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59 | (1) |
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60 | (1) |
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61 | (1) |
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62 | (1) |
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63 | (1) |
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64 | (1) |
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65 | (1) |
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66 | (1) |
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67 | (1) |
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68 | (1) |
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now my first wife never did come out of her room |
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69 | (1) |
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70 | (1) |
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71 | (6) |
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good news about the earth (1972) about the earth |
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77 | (16) |
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being property once myself |
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78 | (1) |
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79 | (1) |
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80 | (1) |
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81 | (1) |
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82 | (1) |
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83 | (1) |
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84 | (1) |
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85 | (1) |
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driving through new england |
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86 | (1) |
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87 | (1) |
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88 | (1) |
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89 | (1) |
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90 | (3) |
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93 | (1) |
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i am high on the man called crazy |
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94 | (1) |
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95 | (1) |
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for the bird who flew against our window one morning and broke his natural neck |
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96 | (1) |
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97 | (1) |
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98 | (1) |
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wise: having the ability to perceive and adopt the best means for accomplishing an end |
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99 | (1) |
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100 | (1) |
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101 | (1) |
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102 | (1) |
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103 | (1) |
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104 | (1) |
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105 | (1) |
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106 | (1) |
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107 | (4) |
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111 | (1) |
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112 | (1) |
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113 | (1) |
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114 | (1) |
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115 | (1) |
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116 | (1) |
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117 | (1) |
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118 | (1) |
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119 | (1) |
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120 | (1) |
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the calling of the disciples |
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121 | (1) |
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122 | (1) |
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123 | (1) |
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124 | (1) |
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125 | (1) |
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126 | (3) |
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Uncollected Poems (1973-1974) |
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Phillis Wheatley Poetry Festival |
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129 | (1) |
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130 | (5) |
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135 | (1) |
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136 | (1) |
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137 | (1) |
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138 | (1) |
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139 | (1) |
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140 | (1) |
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141 | (1) |
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142 | (1) |
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143 | (1) |
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144 | (1) |
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come home from the movies |
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145 | (1) |
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146 | (1) |
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147 | (1) |
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148 | (1) |
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149 | (1) |
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150 | (1) |
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151 | (1) |
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152 | (1) |
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153 | (4) |
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the lesson of the falling leaves |
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157 | (1) |
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i am running into a new year |
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158 | (1) |
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159 | (1) |
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160 | (1) |
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161 | (1) |
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162 | (1) |
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163 | (1) |
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164 | (1) |
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165 | (1) |
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166 | (1) |
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167 | (1) |
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168 | (1) |
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169 | (1) |
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170 | (1) |
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171 | (1) |
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172 | (1) |
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173 | (1) |
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174 | (1) |
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175 | (1) |
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at last we killed the roaches |
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176 | (1) |
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177 | (1) |
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178 | (1) |
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some dreams hang in the air |
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179 | (1) |
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180 | (1) |
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let there be new flowering |
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181 | (1) |
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182 | (5) |
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Uncollected Poems (ca. 1975) |
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187 | (1) |
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188 | (1) |
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"We Do Not Know Very Much About Lucille's Inner Life" |
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189 | (6) |
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195 | (1) |
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i was born with twelve fingers |
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196 | (1) |
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197 | (1) |
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198 | (1) |
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199 | (1) |
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200 | (1) |
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201 | (1) |
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202 | (1) |
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on the death of alien's son |
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203 | (1) |
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204 | (1) |
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to thelma who worried because i couldn't cook |
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205 | (1) |
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poem on my fortieth birthday to my mother who died young |
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206 | (1) |
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207 | (1) |
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208 | (1) |
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to the unborn and waiting children |
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209 | (1) |
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210 | (2) |
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212 | (3) |
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215 | (1) |
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216 | (1) |
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217 | (1) |
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218 | (2) |
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220 | (1) |
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221 | (1) |
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222 | (1) |
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223 | (1) |
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conversation with my grandson, waiting to be conceived |
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224 | (1) |
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the mystery that surely is present |
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225 | (1) |
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the astrologer predicts at mary's birth |
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226 | (1) |
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anna speaks of the childhood of mary her daughter |
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227 | (1) |
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228 | (1) |
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229 | (1) |
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230 | (1) |
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231 | (1) |
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232 | (1) |
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mary mary astonished by God |
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233 | (1) |
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234 | (1) |
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235 | (1) |
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236 | (1) |
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237 | (1) |
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God waits for the wandering world |
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238 | (1) |
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the light that came to lucille clifton |
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239 | (18) |
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the light that came to lucille clifton testament |
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243 | (1) |
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244 | (1) |
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245 | (1) |
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246 | (1) |
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247 | (1) |
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248 | (1) |
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249 | (1) |
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250 | (1) |
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251 | (6) |
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257 | (1) |
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258 | (1) |
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259 | (1) |
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what spells raccoon to me |
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260 | (1) |
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261 | (1) |
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why some people be mad at me sometimes |
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262 | (1) |
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263 | (1) |
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264 | (1) |
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265 | (1) |
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266 | (1) |
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267 | (1) |
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atlantic is a sea of bones |
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268 | (1) |
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cruelty don't talk to me about cruelty |
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269 | (1) |
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270 | (2) |
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272 | (1) |
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273 | (1) |
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274 | (1) |
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here is another bone to pick with you |
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275 | (1) |
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276 | (1) |
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if our grandchild be a girl |
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277 | (1) |
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278 | (1) |
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my dream about being white |
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279 | (1) |
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280 | (1) |
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281 | (1) |
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282 | (1) |
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my dream about the second coming |
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283 | (1) |
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284 | (1) |
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285 | (1) |
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286 | (3) |
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289 | (2) |
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crazy horse names his daughter |
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291 | (1) |
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crazy horse instructs the young men but in their grief they forget |
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292 | (1) |
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the message of crazy horse |
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293 | (1) |
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the death of thelma sayles |
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294 | (1) |
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295 | (1) |
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the message of thelma sayles |
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296 | (1) |
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297 | (1) |
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298 | (1) |
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299 | (1) |
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300 | (1) |
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301 | (1) |
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she won't ever forgive me |
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302 | (1) |
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the one in the next bed is dying |
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303 | (1) |
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304 | (1) |
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305 | (1) |
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306 | (1) |
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the death of fred clifton |
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307 | (1) |
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"I'm going back to my true identity" |
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308 | (1) |
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309 | (1) |
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the message of fred clifton |
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310 | (3) |
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313 | (3) |
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1 i come to read them poems |
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316 | (2) |
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1 the legend is whispered |
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2 who is there to protect her |
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3 if the little girl lies |
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4 the poem at the end of the world California lessons |
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318 | (5) |
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[ section titles are taken from the names of traditional quilt designs] |
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323 | (4) |
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i am accused of tending to the past |
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327 | (1) |
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328 | (1) |
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poem beginning in no and ending in yes |
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329 | (1) |
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330 | (1) |
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at the cemetery, walnut grove plantation, south carolina, 1989 |
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331 | (2) |
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slave cabin, sotterly plantation, maryland, 1989 |
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333 | (1) |
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334 | (2) |
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336 | (1) |
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337 | (1) |
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338 | (1) |
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339 | (1) |
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340 | (1) |
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341 | (3) |
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344 | (3) |
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from the wisdom of sister brown |
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347 | (1) |
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348 | (1) |
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349 | (1) |
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350 | (1) |
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351 | (1) |
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this is for the mice that live |
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352 | (1) |
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353 | (1) |
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354 | (2) |
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356 | (1) |
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poem in praise of menstruation |
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357 | (1) |
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358 | (1) |
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ways you are not like oedipus |
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359 | (1) |
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360 | (2) |
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362 | (1) |
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363 | (1) |
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the beginning of the end of the world |
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364 | (1) |
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365 | (4) |
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369 | (1) |
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370 | (1) |
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when i stand around among poets |
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371 | (1) |
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372 | (1) |
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373 | (1) |
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374 | (2) |
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376 | (1) |
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377 | (1) |
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378 | (1) |
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379 | (1) |
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380 | (1) |
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381 | (1) |
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382 | (1) |
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383 | (1) |
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in which i consider the fortunate deaf |
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384 | (1) |
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385 | (1) |
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386 | (1) |
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387 | (1) |
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388 | (1) |
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389 | (1) |
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390 | (3) |
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oh where have you fallen to |
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393 | (1) |
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remembering the birth of lucifer |
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394 | (1) |
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395 | (1) |
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396 | (1) |
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lucifer understanding at last |
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397 | (1) |
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398 | (1) |
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399 | (1) |
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400 | (1) |
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401 | (1) |
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lucifer speaks in his own voice |
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402 | (3) |
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405 | (4) |
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409 | (4) |
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413 | (1) |
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414 | (1) |
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415 | (1) |
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416 | (1) |
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417 | (1) |
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418 | (1) |
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419 | (1) |
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420 | (1) |
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421 | (1) |
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422 | (1) |
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423 | (1) |
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424 | (1) |
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the women you are accustomed to |
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425 | (1) |
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426 | (1) |
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won't you celebrate with me |
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427 | (4) |
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431 | (1) |
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each morning i pull myself |
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432 | (1) |
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433 | (1) |
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the yeti poet returns to his village to tell his story |
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434 | (1) |
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435 | (1) |
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the earth is a living thing |
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436 | (1) |
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437 | (2) |
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samson predicts from gaza the Philadelphia fire |
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439 | (1) |
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440 | (1) |
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441 | (1) |
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442 | (1) |
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443 | (1) |
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444 | (1) |
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445 | (1) |
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446 | (1) |
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447 | (1) |
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448 | (1) |
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449 | (1) |
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450 | (3) |
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453 | (1) |
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454 | (1) |
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455 | (1) |
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456 | (1) |
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naomi watches as ruth sleeps |
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457 | (1) |
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458 | (1) |
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459 | (1) |
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460 | (1) |
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461 | (1) |
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462 | (4) |
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466 | (7) |
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473 | (1) |
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474 | (3) |
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The Terrible Stories (1996) |
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477 | (4) |
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481 | (1) |
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482 | (1) |
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483 | (1) |
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484 | (1) |
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485 | (1) |
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486 | (3) |
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489 | (1) |
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490 | (1) |
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consulting the book of changes: radiation |
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491 | (2) |
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493 | (1) |
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494 | (1) |
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495 | (1) |
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496 | (1) |
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497 | (1) |
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498 | (3) |
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501 | (2) |
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503 | (1) |
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504 | (1) |
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the mississippi river empties into the gulf |
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505 | (1) |
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506 | (1) |
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507 | (1) |
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508 | (1) |
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509 | (2) |
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511 | (1) |
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512 | (3) |
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evening and my dead once husband |
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515 | (1) |
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516 | (1) |
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my sanctified grandmother |
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517 | (1) |
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518 | (1) |
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519 | (1) |
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what did she know, when did she know it |
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520 | (1) |
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521 | (1) |
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522 | (1) |
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523 | (1) |
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524 | (3) |
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5 From the Book of David dancer |
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527 | (18) |
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529 | (1) |
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david has slain his ten thousands |
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530 | (1) |
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531 | (1) |
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532 | (2) |
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534 | (1) |
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535 | (1) |
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536 | (1) |
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537 | (1) |
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538 | (1) |
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539 | (6) |
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Blessing the Boats (2000) |
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545 | (1) |
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546 | (1) |
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547 | (1) |
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548 | (1) |
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549 | (1) |
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550 | (1) |
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the photograph: a lynching |
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551 | (1) |
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552 | (1) |
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553 | (1) |
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what i think when i ride the train |
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554 | (1) |
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555 | (1) |
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556 | (1) |
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557 | (1) |
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558 | (1) |
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559 | (1) |
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560 | (1) |
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561 | (1) |
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562 | (2) |
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report from the angel of eden |
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564 | (5) |
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569 | (1) |
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570 | (1) |
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571 | (1) |
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572 | (1) |
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573 | (1) |
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574 | (1) |
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575 | (1) |
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576 | (1) |
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577 | (4) |
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surely i am able to write poems |
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581 | (1) |
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582 | (1) |
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583 | (1) |
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584 | (1) |
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585 | (1) |
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586 | (1) |
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587 | (1) |
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588 | (1) |
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589 | (1) |
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590 | (1) |
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591 | (1) |
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592 | (1) |
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593 | (1) |
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594 | (1) |
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wind on the st. marys river |
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595 | (1) |
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the tale the shepherds tell the sheep |
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596 | (1) |
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597 | (4) |
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september song a poem in 7 days |
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601 | (1) |
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602 | (1) |
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603 | (1) |
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604 | (1) |
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605 | (1) |
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606 | (1) |
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607 | (4) |
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the message from The Ones (received in the late 70s) beginning of message |
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your mother sends you this |
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611 | (1) |
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612 | (1) |
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613 | (1) |
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614 | (1) |
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615 | (1) |
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616 | (1) |
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why should we wander bone yards |
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617 | (1) |
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some of you have been blessed |
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618 | (1) |
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619 | (1) |
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620 | (1) |
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621 | (1) |
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622 | (1) |
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623 | (1) |
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624 | (1) |
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625 | (1) |
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626 | (1) |
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the universe requires the worlds |
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627 | (1) |
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you have placed yourselves |
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628 | (1) |
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629 | (1) |
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630 | (1) |
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631 | (1) |
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632 | (1) |
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633 | (6) |
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"marley was dead to begin with" |
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639 | (1) |
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640 | (1) |
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641 | (1) |
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642 | (1) |
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643 | (1) |
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644 | (1) |
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645 | (1) |
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646 | (1) |
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647 | (1) |
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648 | (1) |
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649 | (1) |
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650 | (1) |
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"you have been my tried and trusted friend" |
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651 | (1) |
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652 | (1) |
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653 | (4) |
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657 | (1) |
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my father hasn't come back |
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658 | (1) |
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659 | (1) |
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660 | (1) |
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661 | (1) |
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662 | (1) |
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"in 1844 explorers John Fremont and Kit Carson discovered Lake Tahoe" |
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663 | (1) |
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664 | (1) |
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665 | (1) |
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666 | (1) |
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667 | (1) |
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668 | (1) |
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668 | (3) |
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a meditation on ten oxherding pictures |
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671 | (1) |
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1st picture searching for the ox |
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672 | (1) |
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2nd picture seeing the traces |
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673 | (1) |
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3rd picture seeing the ox |
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674 | (1) |
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4th picture catching the ox |
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675 | (1) |
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5th picture herding the ox |
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676 | (1) |
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6th picture coming home on the ox's back |
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677 | (1) |
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7th picture the ox forgotten leaving the man alone |
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678 | (1) |
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8th picture the ox and the man both gone out of sight |
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679 | (1) |
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9th picture returning to the origin back to the source |
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680 | (1) |
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10th picture entering the city with bliss-bestowing hands |
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681 | (1) |
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682 | (1) |
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683 | (6) |
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Uncollected Poems (2006-2010) |
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689 | (1) |
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godspeak: out of paradise |
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690 | (1) |
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lucifer morning-star to man-kind after the fall: in like kind |
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691 | (1) |
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692 | (1) |
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693 | (1) |
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mother-tongue: the land of nod |
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694 | (1) |
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mother-tongue: to the child just born |
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695 | (1) |
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mother-tongue: after the child's death |
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696 | (1) |
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mother-tongue: after the flood |
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697 | (1) |
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the rainbow bears witness |
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698 | (1) |
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699 | (1) |
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700 | (1) |
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mother-tongue: to man-kind |
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701 | (1) |
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702 | (1) |
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mother-tongue: we are dying |
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703 | (1) |
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mother-tongue: in a dream before she died |
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704 | (1) |
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705 | (1) |
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706 | (1) |
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man-kind: over the jordan, into the promised land |
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707 | (1) |
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708 | (1) |
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709 | (1) |
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man-kind: digging a trench to hell |
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710 | (1) |
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711 | (4) |
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Last Poems & Drafts (2006-2010) |
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715 | (1) |
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some points along some of the meridians (2007) |
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716 | (3) |
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719 | (1) |
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she leans out from the mirror (2006) |
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720 | (1) |
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721 | (1) |
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722 | (1) |
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after the children died she started bathing (2007) |
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723 | (1) |
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724 | (1) |
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725 | (1) |
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726 | (1) |
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In the middle of the Eye (2010) |
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727 | (2) |
won't you celebrate with me: the poetry of Lucille Clifton |
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729 | (21) |
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Lucille Clifton Bibliography |
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750 | (3) |
Index of Poems |
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753 | (9) |
About the Co-Editors |
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762 | (2) |
About Lucille Clifton |
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764 | (6) |
Colophon |
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770 | |