Lazarus

Lazarus* Lucille Clifton first day i rise from stiffeninginto a pin of lightand a voice calling"Lazarus, this way"and i walk or ratherswim in a river of soundtoward what seems to beforever i am almostalmost there when i hearbehind me"Lazarus, come forth" andi find myself swivelingin the light for thisis the miracle Mary Martha,at my head and at my feetsinging my nameis the same voice second day i am not the same manborne into the crypt.as ones return from otherwherealtered by what they have seen,so have i been forever.lazarus.lazarus is dead.what entered the light was one manwhat walked out is another. third day on the third day i rememberwhat i was moving from [End Page 381] what i was moving towardlight again andi could feel the seedsturning in the grass marymartha i could feel the worldnow i sit here on a crevicein this rock stared atanswering questionssisters stand awayfrom the door to my gravethe only peace i know Footnotes * "lazarus" was published in Blessing the Boats (Rochester, NY: BOA, 2000). Copyright © 2010 Lucille Clifton Reprinted with permission from Alexia Clifton

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